What is a priority queue in C#?

What is a priority queue in C#?

A priority queue is a data structure where each element has a priority. Elements with higher priority are served before those with lower priority.

How do I implement a priority queue in C#?

You can implement a priority queue in C# using the SortedList or List with custom sorting, or by using the PriorityQueue<TElement, TPriority> class in .NET 6.

Can you show me a simple example?

Sure! Here's a simple example using PriorityQueue<TElement, TPriority>:

var priorityQueue = new PriorityQueue<string, int>();
priorityQueue.Enqueue("Task1", 2);
priorityQueue.Enqueue("Task2", 1);

while (priorityQueue.Count > 0)
{
    Console.WriteLine(priorityQueue.Dequeue());
}

This will print "Task2" followed by "Task1" because Task2 has a higher priority.

What are some use cases for priority queues?

Priority queues are useful in scenarios like scheduling tasks, managing resources in simulations, and implementing Dijkstra's algorithm for shortest paths.