What are some practical use cases for a deque?

What are some practical use cases for a deque?

Deques, or double-ended queues, are versatile data structures. They can be used for tasks like implementing queues, stacks, and even for managing sliding windows in algorithms.

Can you give me an example of how a deque is used in a sliding window algorithm?

Sure! In a sliding window maximum problem, a deque can efficiently store indices of array elements, allowing you to quickly access the maximum value in the current window.

What are the advantages of using a deque over a regular queue?

Deques allow insertion and deletion from both ends, making them more flexible than regular queues, which only allow operations at one end.

Are there any specific programming languages that have built-in support for deques?

Yes, many programming languages have built-in support for deques. For example, Python has the collections.deque class, and C++ has the std::deque container.