Shift operator in java

Let’s learn shift operator in java.

Shift operator in java

A shift operator basically used to perform bit manipulation on a number by shifting bits of first operand right/left.

Signed left shift operator or bitwise left shift operator (<<)
Signed right shift operator or bitwise right shift operator (>>)
Unsigned right shift operator or bitwise zero fill right shift operator (>>>)

Signed left shift operator (<<)

Signed left shift operator shifts bits of the number to left to a specified number of positions. For example b << 2 means to shift bits of b towards left 2 positions.

Consider an example 9 << 2. So the binary format of 9 is 1 0 0 1.

Now we apply bitwise left shift operator to above binary number, left shift operator shifts this number by 2 bits.

Here shifting by 2 bits means; we have 1 0 0 1 it adds or appends two more zeros. That is 1 0 0 1 0 0 = 36. Let’s see java program.

public class LeftShiftOperatorDemo 
{
   public static void main(String[] args) 
   {
      int b = 9;
      System.out.println((b << 2));
   }
}

Output:

Sign bit right shift (>>)

Sign bit right shift operator shifts bits of the number to right to a specified number of positions. For example b >> 2 means to shift bits of b towards right 2 positions.

Consider an example 9 >> 2. So the binary format of 9 is 1 0 0 1.

Now we apply right shift operator to above binary number, right shift operator removes 2 bits to our right.

Here removing 2 bits means; remove 0 and 1 in 1 0 0 1. There will be two vacant space to the our left. Remaining is 0 0 1 0 = 2. Let’s see java program.

public class RightShiftOperatorDemo 
{
   public static void main(String[] args) 
   {
      int b = 9;
      System.out.println(b >> 2);
   }
}

Output:

Unsigned right shift operator or bitwise zero fill right shift operator (>>>)

Bitwise zero fill right shift operator shifts bits of the number to right to a specified number of positions. For example b >>> 2 means to shift bits of b towards right 2 positions.

Bitwise zero fill right shift operator is same as signed right shift operator. Bitwise zero fill right shift operator can be applied to both positive and negative number; output always be a positive number. Now let’s see java program.

public class UnsignedRightShiftDemo 
{
   public static void main(String[] args) 
   {
      int a = 9;
      int b = -1;
      System.out.println(a >>> 2);
      System.out.println(b >>> 10);
   }
}

Output:

2
4194303