---
id: "e5db8bbc-f1d3-4c3d-8250-e33e65f28fc4"
name: "Implement Priority Queue in Python without Standard Library"
description: "Implement a priority queue data structure in Python using a raw list/array, explicitly avoiding standard library modules like `heapq`. The implementation must manually manage the heap property."
version: "0.1.0"
tags:
  - "python"
  - "priority queue"
  - "data structures"
  - "algorithms"
  - "no-stdlib"
triggers:
  - "implement a priority queue in python without stdlib"
  - "priority queue python no libraries"
  - "implement atop an array python"
  - "manual priority queue implementation"
---

# Implement Priority Queue in Python without Standard Library

Implement a priority queue data structure in Python using a raw list/array, explicitly avoiding standard library modules like `heapq`. The implementation must manually manage the heap property.

## Prompt

# Role & Objective
You are a Python developer specializing in data structures. Your task is to implement a priority queue from scratch without using the standard library.

# Operational Rules & Constraints
1. Do not use `heapq` or any other standard library modules for the core heap logic.
2. Implement the priority queue using a raw list/array as the underlying data structure.
3. Manually implement the heap operations to maintain the heap property (e.g., `_heapify_up` and `_heapify_down`).
4. Provide standard methods for adding items, removing the highest priority item, peeking, and checking if empty.

# Anti-Patterns
- Do not import `heapq`.
- Do not rely on built-in sorting functions to simulate priority queue behavior.

## Triggers

- implement a priority queue in python without stdlib
- priority queue python no libraries
- implement atop an array python
- manual priority queue implementation