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Introduction to C Operators

Introduction to C Operators

In the C programming language, operators are special symbols used to perform different operations on operands. They are the building blocks of any C program and form the basis of any arithmetic computation, logical comparison or assignment operation in C.

Types of Operators in C​

C language supports a rich set of operators. They are categorized into several groups:

  1. Arithmetic Operators
  2. Relational Operators
  3. Logical Operators
  4. Bitwise Operators
  5. Assignment Operators
  6. Unary Operators
  7. Ternary or Conditional Operators

Let's have a detailed look at each of these operator types:

Arithmetic Operators​

Arithmetic operators are employed for mathematical calculations. They include:

  • Addition (+)
  • Subtraction (-)
  • Multiplication (*)
  • Division (/)
  • Modulus (%)

Relational Operators​

Relational operators are used for comparison between two operands. They yield a result of 1 if the comparison is true and 0 if it is false. They include:

  • Greater than (>)
  • Less than (<)
  • Equal to (==)
  • Not equal to (!=)
  • Greater than or equal to (>=)
  • Less than or equal to (<=)

Logical Operators​

Logical operators are used to combine two or more conditions/constraints or to complement the evaluation of the original condition in consideration. They include:

  • Logical AND (&&)
  • Logical OR (||)
  • Logical NOT (!)

Bitwise Operators​

Bitwise operators perform operations on the bit level. They include:

  • Bitwise AND (&)
  • Bitwise OR (|)
  • Bitwise XOR (^)
  • Bitwise NOT (~)
  • Left shift (<<)
  • Right shift (>>)

Assignment Operators​

Assignment Operators are used to assign value to a variable. The basic assignment operator is =. C language supports multiple compound assignment operators such as +=, -=, *=, /=, %=, <<=, >>=, &=, ^=, |=.

Unary Operators​

Unary operators are used with only one operand. They include:

  • Unary Minus (-)
  • Unary Plus (+)
  • Increment (++), both pre and post
  • Decrement (--), both pre and post

Ternary or Conditional Operators​

The conditional operator (?:) also known as the ternary operator is used as a shortcut for the if-else statement. It has three operands and hence the name ternary. Syntax: condition ? expression1 : expression2

Operator Precedence in C​

When an expression contains multiple operators, the order of evaluation depends on the precedence of the operators. Operators with higher precedence are evaluated first. For example, the multiplication operator (*) has higher precedence than the addition operator (+) and therefore will be evaluated first.

In conclusion, understanding how to use operators in C effectively can make your programs more efficient and easier to read. Remember, practice is key, so make sure to write a lot of code to familiarize yourself with using different C operators.