Undestanding Swift - Operators
What is an Operator in Swift?
In Swift, operators are special symbols that instruct the compiler
to perform specific mathematical, logical, or bitwise operations on
one or more operands. These operators make coding more efficient and
readable.
For instance, adding two numbers, such as 34 and 21, requires the +
operator:
let sum = 30 + 20 // Result: 55
Types of Operators in Swift
Swift provides various categories of operators, each serving a unique purpose:
- Arithmetic Operators
- Comparison Operators
- Logical Operators
- Bitwise Operators
- Assignment Operators
- Range Operators
- Miscellaneous Operators
Let's dive into each of these operator types.
1. Swift Arithmetic Operators
Arithmetic operators perform mathematical calculations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. These operations require operands of the same type.
| Operator | Name | Example |
|---|---|---|
| + | Addition | 20 + 30 = 50 |
| - | Subtraction | 30 - 10 = 20 |
| * | Multiplication | 10 * 10 = 100 |
| / | Division | 20 / 5 = 4 |
| % | Modulus | 10 % 2 = 0 |
2. Swift Comparison Operators
Comparison operators compare two values and return a Boolean result (true or false).
| Operator | Name | Example |
|---|---|---|
| == | Equal | 10 == 10 → true |
| != | Not Equal | 34 != 30 → true |
| > | Greater Than | 90 > 34 → true |
| < | Less Than | 12 < 34 → true |
| >= | Greater Than or Equal To | 30 >= 10 → true |
| <= | Less Than or Equal To | 10 <= 32 → true |
3. Swift Logical Operators
Logical operators help in making decisions based on multiple conditions.
| Operator | Name | Example |
|---|---|---|
| && | Logical AND | X && Y |
| || | Logical OR | X || Y |
| ! | Logical NOT | !X |
4. Swift Bitwise Operators
Bitwise operators work at the binary level, manipulating individual bits.
| Operator | Name | Example |
|---|---|---|
| & | Bitwise AND | X & Y |
| | | Bitwise OR | X | Y |
| ^ | Bitwise XOR | X ^ Y |
| ~ | Bitwise NOT | ~X |
| << | Left Shift | X << Y |
| >> | Right Shift | X >> Y |
5. Swift Assignment Operators
Assignment operators are used to assign or update the value of a variable.
| Operator | Name | Example |
|---|---|---|
| = | Assignment | X = 10 |
| += | Assignment Add | X += 12 |
| -= | Assignment Subtract | X -= 12 |
| *= | Assignment Multiply | X *= 12 |
| /= | Assignment Divide | X /= 12 |
| %= | Assignment Modulus | X %= 12 |
| <<= | Assignment Left Shift | X <<= 12 |
| >>= | Assignment Right Shift | X >>= 12 |
| &= | Bitwise AND Assignment | X &= 12 |
| ^= | Bitwise XOR Assignment | X ^= 12 |
| |= | Bitwise OR Assignment | X |= 12 |
6. Swift Miscellaneous Operators
Swift also provides other useful operators that serve specific purposes.
| Operator | Name | Example |
|---|---|---|
| - | Unary Minus | -9 |
| + | Unary Plus | +2 |
| ? : | Ternary Conditional | Condition ? X : Y |