JavaScript - Operators
What is an Operator?
Let us take a simple expression 4 + 5 is equal to 9. Here 4 and 5 are called operands and ‘+’ is called the operator. JavaScript supports the following types of operators.
- Arithmetic Operators
- Comparison Operators
- Logical (or Relational) Operators
- Assignment Operators
- Conditional (or ternary) Operators
Lets have a look on all operators one by one.
Arithmetic Operators
JavaScript supports the following arithmetic operators −
Assume variable A holds 10 and variable B holds 20, then −
| Sr.No. |
Operator & Description |
| 1 |
+ (Addition)
Adds two operands
Ex: A + B will give 30
|
| 2 |
- (Subtraction)
Subtracts the second operand from the first
Ex: A - B will give -10
|
| 3 |
* (Multiplication)
Multiply both operands
Ex: A * B will give 200
|
| 4 |
/ (Division)
Divide the numerator by the denominator
Ex: B / A will give 2
|
| 5 |
% (Modulus)
Outputs the remainder of an integer division
Ex: B % A will give 0
|
| 6 |
++ (Increment)
Increases an integer value by one
Ex: A++ will give 11
|
| 7 |
-- (Decrement)
Decreases an integer value by one
Ex: A-- will give 9
|
Note − Addition operator (+) works for Numeric as well as Strings. e.g. "a" + 10 will give "a10".
Example
The following code shows how to use arithmetic operators in JavaScript.
<html>
<body>
<script type = "text/javascript">
<!--
var a = 33;
var b = 10;
var c = "Test";
var linebreak = "<br />";
document.write("a + b = ");
result = a + b;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("a - b = ");
result = a - b;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("a / b = ");
result = a / b;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("a % b = ");
result = a % b;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("a + b + c = ");
result = a + b + c;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
a = ++a;
document.write("++a = ");
result = ++a;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
b = --b;
document.write("--b = ");
result = --b;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
//-->
</script>
Set the variables to different values and then try...
</body>
</html>
Output
a + b = 43
a - b = 23
a / b = 3.3
a % b = 3
a + b + c = 43Test
++a = 35
--b = 8
Set the variables to different values and then try...
Comparison Operators
JavaScript supports the following comparison operators −
Assume variable A holds 10 and variable B holds 20, then −
| Sr.No. |
Operator & Description |
| 1 |
= = (Equal)
Checks if the value of two operands are equal or not, if yes, then the condition becomes true.
Ex: (A == B) is not true.
|
| 2 |
!= (Not Equal)
Checks if the value of two operands are equal or not, if the values are not equal, then the condition becomes true.
Ex: (A != B) is true.
|
| 3 |
> (Greater than)
Checks if the value of the left operand is greater than the value of the right operand, if yes, then the condition becomes true.
Ex: (A > B) is not true.
|
| 4 |
< (Less than)
Checks if the value of the left operand is less than the value of the right operand, if yes, then the condition becomes true.
Ex: (A < B) is true.
|
| 5 |
>= (Greater than or Equal to)
Checks if the value of the left operand is greater than or equal to the value of the right operand, if yes, then the condition becomes true.
Ex: (A >= B) is not true.
|
| 6 |
<= (Less than or Equal to)
Checks if the value of the left operand is less than or equal to the value of the right operand, if yes, then the condition becomes true.
Ex: (A <= B) is true.
|
Example
The following code shows how to use comparison operators in JavaScript.
<html>
<body>
<script type = "text/javascript">
<!--
var a = 10;
var b = 20;
var linebreak = "<br />";
document.write("(a == b) => ");
result = (a == b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a < b) => ");
result = (a < b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a > b) => ");
result = (a > b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a != b) => ");
result = (a != b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a >= b) => ");
result = (a >= b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a <= b) => ");
result = (a <= b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
//-->
</script>
Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...
</body>
</html>
Output
(a == b) => false
(a < b) => true
(a > b) => false
(a != b) => true
(a >= b) => false
a <= b) => true
Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...
Logical Operators
JavaScript supports the following logical operators −
Assume variable A holds 10 and variable B holds 20, then −
| Sr.No. |
Operator & Description |
| 1 |
&& (Logical AND)
If both the operands are non-zero, then the condition becomes true.
Ex: (A && B) is true.
|
| 2 |
|| (Logical OR)
If any of the two operands are non-zero, then the condition becomes true.
Ex: (A || B) is true.
|
| 3 |
! (Logical NOT)
Reverses the logical state of its operand. If a condition is true, then the Logical NOT operator will make it false.
Ex: ! (A && B) is false.
|
Example
Try the following code to learn how to implement Logical Operators in JavaScript.
<html>
<body>
<script type = "text/javascript">
<!--
var a = true;
var b = false;
var linebreak = "<br />";
document.write("(a && b) => ");
result = (a && b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a || b) => ");
result = (a || b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("!(a && b) => ");
result = (!(a && b));
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
//-->
</script>
<p>Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...</p>
</body>
</html>
Output
(a && b) => false
(a || b) => true
!(a && b) => true
Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...
Bitwise Operators
JavaScript supports the following bitwise operators −
Assume variable A holds 2 and variable B holds 3, then −
| Sr.No. |
Operator & Description |
| 1 |
& (Bitwise AND)
It performs a Boolean AND operation on each bit of its integer arguments.
Ex: (A & B) is 2.
|
| 2 |
| (BitWise OR)
It performs a Boolean OR operation on each bit of its integer arguments.
Ex: (A | B) is 3.
|
| 3 |
^ (Bitwise XOR)
It performs a Boolean exclusive OR operation on each bit of its integer arguments. Exclusive OR means that either operand one is true or operand two is true, but not both.
Ex: (A ^ B) is 1.
|
| 4 |
~ (Bitwise Not)
It is a unary operator and operates by reversing all the bits in the operand.
Ex: (~B) is -4.
|
| 5 |
<< (Left Shift)
It moves all the bits in its first operand to the left by the number of places specified in the second operand. New bits are filled with zeros. Shifting a value left by one position is equivalent to multiplying it by 2, shifting two positions is equivalent to multiplying by 4, and so on.
Ex: (A << 1) is 4.
|
| 6 |
>> (Right Shift)
Binary Right Shift Operator. The left operand’s value is moved right by the number of bits specified by the right operand.
Ex: (A >> 1) is 1.
|
| 7 |
>>> (Right shift with Zero)
This operator is just like the >> operator, except that the bits shifted in on the left are always zero.
Ex: (A >>> 1) is 1.
|
Example
Try the following code to implement Bitwise operator in JavaScript.
<html>
<body>
<script type = "text/javascript">
<!--
var a = 2; // Bit presentation 10
var b = 3; // Bit presentation 11
var linebreak = "<br />";
document.write("(a & b) => ");
result = (a & b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a | b) => ");
result = (a | b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a ^ b) => ");
result = (a ^ b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(~b) => ");
result = (~b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a << b) => ");
result = (a << b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("(a >> b) => ");
result = (a >> b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
//-->
</script>
<p>Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...</p>
</body>
</html>
(a & b) => 2
(a | b) => 3
(a ^ b) => 1
(~b) => -4
(a << b) => 16
(a >> b) => 0
Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...
Assignment Operators
JavaScript supports the following assignment operators −
| Sr.No. |
Operator & Description |
| 1 |
= (Simple Assignment )
Assigns values from the right side operand to the left side operand
Ex: C = A + B will assign the value of A + B into C
|
| 2 |
+= (Add and Assignment)
It adds the right operand to the left operand and assigns the result to the left operand.
Ex: C += A is equivalent to C = C + A
|
| 3 |
−= (Subtract and Assignment)
It subtracts the right operand from the left operand and assigns the result to the left operand.
Ex: C -= A is equivalent to C = C - A
|
| 4 |
*= (Multiply and Assignment)
It multiplies the right operand with the left operand and assigns the result to the left operand.
Ex: C *= A is equivalent to C = C * A
|
| 5 |
/= (Divide and Assignment)
It divides the left operand with the right operand and assigns the result to the left operand.
Ex: C /= A is equivalent to C = C / A
|
| 6 |
%= (Modules and Assignment)
It takes modulus using two operands and assigns the result to the left operand.
Ex: C %= A is equivalent to C = C % A
|
Note − Same logic applies to Bitwise operators so they will become like <<=, >>=, >>=, &=, |= and ^=.
Example
Try the following code to implement assignment operator in JavaScript.
<html>
<body>
<script type = "text/javascript">
<!--
var a = 33;
var b = 10;
var linebreak = "<br />";
document.write("Value of a => (a = b) => ");
result = (a = b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("Value of a => (a += b) => ");
result = (a += b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("Value of a => (a -= b) => ");
result = (a -= b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("Value of a => (a *= b) => ");
result = (a *= b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("Value of a => (a /= b) => ");
result = (a /= b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write("Value of a => (a %= b) => ");
result = (a %= b);
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
//-->
</script>
<p>Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...</p>
</body>
</html>
Output
Value of a => (a = b) => 10
Value of a => (a += b) => 20
Value of a => (a -= b) => 10
Value of a => (a *= b) => 100
Value of a => (a /= b) => 10
Value of a => (a %= b) => 0
Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...
Miscellaneous Operator
We will discuss two operators here that are quite useful in JavaScript: the conditional operator (? :) and the typeof operator.
Conditional Operator (? :)
The conditional operator first evaluates an expression for a true or false value and then executes one of the two given statements depending upon the result of the evaluation.
| Sr.No. |
Operator and Description |
| 1 |
? : (Conditional )
If Condition is true? Then value X : Otherwise value Y
|
Example
Try the following code to understand how the Conditional Operator works in JavaScript.
<html>
<body>
<script type = "text/javascript">
<!--
var a = 10;
var b = 20;
var linebreak = "<br />";
document.write ("((a > b) ? 100 : 200) => ");
result = (a > b) ? 100 : 200;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
document.write ("((a < b) ? 100 : 200) => ");
result = (a < b) ? 100 : 200;
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
//-->
</script>
<p>Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...</p>
</body>
</html>
Output
((a > b) ? 100 : 200) => 200
((a < b) ? 100 : 200) => 100
Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...
typeof Operator
The typeof operator is a unary operator that is placed before its single operand, which can be of any type. Its value is a string indicating the data type of the operand.
The typeof operator evaluates to "number", "string", or "boolean" if its operand is a number, string, or boolean value and returns true or false based on the evaluation.
Here is a list of the return values for the typeof Operator.
| Type |
String Returned by typeof |
| Number |
"number" |
| String |
"string" |
| Boolean |
"boolean" |
| Object |
"object" |
| Function |
"function" |
| Undefined |
"undefined" |
| Null |
"object" |
Example
The following code shows how to implement typeof operator.
<html>
<body>
<script type = "text/javascript">
<!--
var a = 10;
var b = "String";
var linebreak = "<br />";
result = (typeof b == "string" ? "B is String" : "B is Numeric");
document.write("Result => ");
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
result = (typeof a == "string" ? "A is String" : "A is Numeric");
document.write("Result => ");
document.write(result);
document.write(linebreak);
//-->
</script>
<p>Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...</p>
</body>
</html>
Output
Result => B is String
Result => A is Numeric
Set the variables to different values and different operators and then try...
