How can I use the heapq module in Python?

How can I use 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. You can use it to maintain a list in sorted order.

Can you show me a simple example of how to use it?

Sure! Here's a basic example:

import heapq

# Create a list
numbers = [5, 1, 3, 7, 2]

# Convert the list into a heap
heapq.heapify(numbers)

# Pop the smallest element
smallest = heapq.heappop(numbers)
print(smallest)  # Output: 1

What if I want to push new elements into the heap?

You can use heapq.heappush() to add new elements. For example:

heapq.heappush(numbers, 4)
print(numbers)  # Output will show the updated heap