What are some use cases for the deque in Python's collections module?

What are some use cases for the deque in Python's collections module?

The deque (double-ended queue) is great for scenarios where you need fast appends and pops from both ends. Common use cases include implementing queues, stacks, and maintaining a sliding window of data.

Can you give me an example of how to implement a queue using deque?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

from collections import deque

queue = deque()
queue.append('a')  # Enqueue
queue.append('b')
print(queue.popleft())  # Dequeue: outputs 'a'

What are the performance benefits of using deque over a list?

Deque provides O(1) time complexity for appends and pops from both ends, while lists have O(n) for pops from the front, making deque more efficient for queue-like operations.

Are there any limitations to using deque?

Yes, while deque is efficient for adding/removing elements, it may use more memory than lists due to its underlying data structure. Also, it doesn't support random access as efficiently as lists.