Heap: container or range?

[Daniel Keep]

Andrei Alexandrescu wrote:
> A "computer science heap" is a structure that offers fast access to the
> largest element and fast extraction of it (which in turn provides access
> to the next largest element etc.).
> 
> I'm just done working on the heap in std.algorithm. Now, it turns out
> that heap supports both a meaningful definition as a full-fledged
> container, and a beautiful definition as a range.
> 
> If Heap is a range, you initiate it with another range, which Heap
> organizes in the heap manner. Then, successive calls to next() nicely
> extract elements starting from the largest. If the underlying range
> supports put(), then Heap also supports put() to insert into the heap.
> 
> Heap as a container would offer similar primitives but in addition would
> "own" its data (would call destructors upon destruction, and would
> support value copying).
> 
> What do you think? Should I make Heap a container or a range?
> 
> 
> Andrei

I suppose it comes down to whether or not the typical case is to either
have a heap or heap-view of another container.  I'd suspect the first,
to be honest.

You could always just have Heap and HeapView.  :)

  -- Daniel