What is the performance of the heapq module in Python?

What is the performance of the heapq module in Python?

The heapq module in Python provides an implementation of the heap queue algorithm, also known as the priority queue algorithm. It has a time complexity of O(log n) for push and pop operations.

How does it compare to other data structures?

Compared to other data structures, heapq is efficient for priority queue operations. For example, a balanced binary search tree has O(log n) for insertions and deletions, but heapq is generally faster for priority queue tasks.

Are there any limitations to using heapq?

Yes, while heapq is efficient for priority queues, it does not support efficient searching for arbitrary elements, which can be a limitation in some scenarios.

Can you give an example of using heapq in Python?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

import heapq
heap = []
heapq.heappush(heap, 5)
heapq.heappush(heap, 1)
heapq.heappush(heap, 3)
print(heapq.heappop(heap))  # Outputs: 1