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Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes when performing arithmetic and logical operations? Delving deeper into computer science reveals fascinating insights into how computers store and manipulate information using bits — ones and zeros.
Fortunately, Python offers bitwise operators allowing us to access and utilize this power directly. In this comprehensive guide, learn everything you need to know about Python bitwise operators and elevate your skills as a developer.
What Are Bitwise Operators?
Bitwise operators enable developers to operate on individual bits rather than entire values. These low-level operations prove particularly useful when optimizing performance-critical sections of code or implementing specialized algorithms requiring direct memory management. The six primary Python bitwise operators include AND (&), OR (|), XOR (^), NOT (~), left shift (<<), and right shift (>>). We will explore each operator in detail below.