MergeableHeap (JHeaps)

Type Parameters:

K - the type of keys maintained by this heap

All Superinterfaces:

Heap<K>

All Known Implementing Classes:

BinaryTreeSoftHeap
```
public interface MergeableHeap<K>
extends Heap<K>
```
A heap that allows melding with another heap.
The second heap becomes empty and unusable after the meld operation, meaning than further insertions are not possible and will throw an IllegalStateException.
A ClassCastException will be thrown if the two heaps are not of the same type. Moreover, the two heaps need to use the same comparators. If only one of them uses a custom comparator or both use custom comparators but are not the same by equals, an IllegalArgumentException is thrown.
Note that all running time bounds on mergeable heaps are valid assuming that the user does not perform cascading melds on heaps such as:
```
 d.meld(e);
 c.meld(d);
 b.meld(c);
 a.meld(b);
 
```
The above scenario, although efficiently supported by using union-find with path compression, invalidates the claimed bounds.
Author:

Dimitrios Michail

- Method Summary
  
  All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
  Modifier and Type Method Description
  
  void meld(MergeableHeap<K> other)
  Meld a heap into the current heap.
  - Methods inherited from interface org.jheaps.Heap
    clear, comparator, deleteMin, findMin, insert, isEmpty, size

- Method Detail
  - meld
```
void meld(MergeableHeap<K> other)
```
    Meld a heap into the current heap. After the operation the other heap will be empty and will not permit further insertions.
    
    Parameters:
    
    other - a merge-able heap
    
    Throws:
    
    ClassCastException - if other is not compatible with this heap
    
    IllegalArgumentException - if other does not have a compatible comparator