Does this skill support 'decrease-key' operations?

Standard Python heapq does not support decrease-key directly. This skill implements the recommended pattern of adding duplicates with updated priorities or using an indexed heap for those specific needs.

What is the advantage of using a priority queue over a sorted list?

Priority queues using heaps offer O(log n) insertion and extraction, which is significantly more efficient than maintaining a fully sorted list (O(n)) when frequently adding and removing elements.

How does the skill handle tie-breaking in priorities?

It uses a tuple-based ordering pattern (priority, tiebreaker, data) which ensures stable and predictable ordering when two items have the same priority level.

Can I use this for both min-heaps and max-heaps?

Yes. While heapq is a min-heap by default, this skill provides patterns for implementing max-heaps, typically by inverting the priority values (multiplying by -1).

Priority Queue Implementation Patterns

Name: Priority Queue Implementation Patterns
Author: jimmc414

byjimmc414

•

Ciencia de Datos y ML

Implements high-performance priority queues for pathfinding, scheduling, and stream processing using efficient heap-based structures.

This skill provides standardized patterns for implementing priority queues in Python, drawing from Peter Norvig's high-efficiency 'pytudes' designs. It guides Claude to leverage the heapq module for O(log n) operations, facilitating the development of complex algorithms like A* search, Dijkstra's pathfinding, and event-driven simulations. By providing clear templates for priority ordering, O(n) heapification, and wrapper classes, it ensures robust and performant data structure management for any application requiring 'best-first' or 'smallest-first' processing logic.

Características Principales

01Support for O(n) initial heap construction via the heapify pattern

02Efficient O(log n) push and pop operations using Python's heapq module

03Optimized templates for A* and Dijkstra pathfinding algorithm integration

04Tuple-based ordering patterns for stable priority and tie-breaking logic

05Standardized PriorityQueue wrapper class for clean, readable implementations

061 GitHub stars

Casos de Uso

01Managing task schedulers that prioritize work based on dynamic importance or urgency scores

02Building event-driven simulation engines that must process chronological events efficiently

03Implementing A* or Dijkstra's algorithm for pathfinding in games or logistics software

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add jimmc414/claude-code-plugin-marketplace build-priority-queue

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill