JavaScript: The Good Parts

Bitwise Operators

JavaScript has the same set of bitwise operators as Java:

&    and
|    or
^    xor
˜    not
>>   signed right shift
>>>  unsigned right shift
<<   left shift

In Java, the bitwise operators work with integers. JavaScript doesn't have integers. It only has double precision floating-point numbers. So, the bitwise operators convert their number operands into integers, do their business, and then convert them back. In most languages, these operators are very close to the hardware and very fast. In JavaScript, they are very far from the hardware and very slow. JavaScript is rarely used for doing bit manipulation.

As a result, in JavaScript programs, it is more likely that & is a mistyped && operator. The presence of the bitwise operators reduces some of the language's redundancy, making it easier for bugs to hide.