The binary heap, the data structure used to implement a priority queue, is an interesting data structure. Recognizing how best to work with the binary heap is part of creating sturdy and fast software programs.
In this course, you'll explore the binary heap data structure used to implement a priority queue in a performant and efficient manner. You'll recognize how the binary heap is essentially a binary tree that satisfies two additional constraints: the heap property and the shape property.
You'll examine how the binary heap can be represented using an array and how it allows us to implement add, remove, and access operations on a priority queue in an extremely high-performing manner. Finally, you'll learn how the binary heap helps us implement an efficient sort algorithm: the heap sort.