Implementing a Heap Data Structure in JavaScript

A heap is a specialized tree-based data structure that satisfies the heap property, meaning every parent node is ordered with respect to its children. In a max-heap, each parent node has a value greater than or equal to its children, while in a min-heap, each parent node has a value less than or equal to its children. Heaps are commonly used in priority queues, sorting algorithms, and other scenarios where ordering is essential.

In this guide, we’ll implement both a max-heap and a min-heap in JavaScript, covering insertion, removal, and peek operations.

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Why Use a Heap?

Heaps offer efficient O(log n) time complexity for insertion and removal operations, which is ideal for maintaining sorted data in scenarios where elements are continuously added or removed. Common applications include:

• Priority queues
• Graph algorithms like Dijkstra’s shortest path
• Implementing efficient sorting algorithms (heapsort)

Basic Heap Operations

To implement a heap, you need to understand the following operations:

1. Insert: Add an element to the heap and maintain the…