Bitwise Operators

Nerd Cafe | نرد کافه

1. Introduction: What Are Bitwise Operators?

Bitwise operators allow you to manipulate individual bits of integers. These are fast, low-level operations often used in:

• Image processing (e.g., bit masking and pixel thresholding)

• Feature engineering in machine learning (e.g., encoding multiple Boolean features within a single integer)

• Performance-critical ML tasks (e.g., efficient binary encoding)

• Cryptography (e.g., encryption algorithms and hashing)

• Embedded systems and hardware-level programming (e.g., control registers and flags)

By operating at the bit level, bitwise operations are often faster and more memory-efficient than equivalent arithmetic operations.

2. Bitwise Operators in Python

Operator	Name	Example	Description
&	Bitwise AND	a & b	1 if both bits are 1
|	Bitwise OR	`a | b	1 if either bit is 1 (or both)
^	Bitwise XOR	a ^ b	1 if bits are different
~	Bitwise NOT	~a	Inverts all bits
<<	Left Shift	a << n	Shift bits left, adding 0s on right
>>	Right Shift	a >> n	Shift bits right, discards right bits

3. Working Example: Step-by-Step Demonstration

Step 1: Understanding Binary Representation

Before applying bitwise operators, it is essential to understand binary representations. In Python, the bin() function converts an integer to its binary form (prefixed with 0b).

a = 10
b = 4

print(bin(a))  # Output: 0b1010
print(bin(b))  # Output: 0b100

Here, 10 in decimal is 1010 in binary, and 4 is 0100.

Step 2: Bitwise AND (&)

a = 10        # 1010
b = 4         # 0100

result = a & b
print(result)  # Output: 0

Explanation:

Only the bits that are 1 in both a and b remain 1 in the result.

Step 3: Bitwise OR (|)

a = 10        # 1010
b = 4         # 0100

result = a | b
print(result)  # Output: 14  (binary: 1110)

Explanation:

If a bit is set in either operand, it is set in the result.

Step 4: Bitwise XOR (^)

a = 10        # 1010
b = 4         # 0100

result = a ^ b
print(result)  # Output: 14  (binary: 1110)

Explanation:

XOR (exclusive OR) returns 1 only if bits differ. It is commonly used in parity checking or change detection.

Step 5: Bitwise NOT (~)

a = 10         # 1010
result = ~a
print(result)  # Output: -11

Explanation:

The ~ operator inverts all bits. In Python’s two’s complement system, ~a is equivalent to -(a + 1).

Step 6: Left Shift (<<)

a = 3          # 0011
result = a << 2
print(result)  # Output: 12  (binary: 1100)

Explanation:

Each left shift multiplies the value by 2. For example, 3 << 1 = 6, 3 << 2 = 12.

Step 7: Right Shift (>>)

a = 8          # 1000
result = a >> 2
print(result)  # Output: 2  (binary: 0010)

Explanation:

Each right shift divides the value by 2 (integer division).

Video Tutorial

Support Our Work

If you find this post helpful and would like to support my work, you can send a donation via TRC-20 (USDT). Your contributions help us keep creating and sharing more valuable content.

TRC-20 Address: TAAVVf9ZxUpbyvTa6Gd5SGPmctBdy4PQwf

Thank you for your generosity! 🙏

Keywords

bitwise operator, bit inversion, two’s complement, Python, binary representation, NOT operator, ~a, negative numbers, bit manipulation, complement, integer encoding, binary arithmetic, bitwise NOT, signed integers, number representation, -(a + 1), data encoding, binary logic, bitwise computation, digital systems, nerd cafe , نرد کافه

Channel Overview

🌐 Website: www.nerd-cafe.ir

📺 YouTube: @nerd-cafe

🎥 Aparat: nerd_cafe

📌 Pinterest: nerd_cafe

📱 Telegram: @nerd_cafe

📝 Blog: Nerd Café on Virgool

💻 GitHub: nerd-cafe