What are Operators in JavaScript

What are Operators in JavaScript?

Operators in JavaScript are symbols used to carry out operations on variables and values. They allow you to manipulate data, perform calculations, and make decisions within your code. Operators work with operands (values or variables) to produce a result.

Types of Operators in JavaScript

1. Arithmetic Operators – Perform basic mathematical operations.
2. Assignment Operators – Assign values to variables.
3. Comparison Operators – Evaluate two values and return a Boolean result (true or false).
4. Logical Operators – Carry out logical operations (AND, OR, NOT).
5. String Operators – Concatenate (join) strings.
6. Bitwise Operators – Carry out operations at the binary level.
7. Ternary (Conditional) Operator – A shorthand for if-else conditions.
8. Type Operators – Determine or manipulate the type of a value.
9. Increment/Decrement Operators – Increase or decrease a value by 1.

How to Use Operators in JavaScript

Operators are used in expressions to perform calculations, compare values, and control program flow.

1. Arithmetic Operators

Perform mathematical calculations.

Operator	Description	Example	Result
+	Addition	5 + 3	8
-	Subtraction	10 - 6	4
*	Multiplication	4 * 2	8
/	Division	8 / 2	4
%	Modulus (Remainder)	10 % 3	1
**	Exponentiation	2 ** 3	8

Example:

let a = 10;
let b = 3;
console.log(a + b);  // 13
console.log(a % b);  // 1 (Remainder of 10 / 3)

2. Assignment Operators

Assign values to variables.

Operator	Description	Example	Equivalent To
=	Assign	x = 10	x = 10
+=	Add or assign	x += 5	x = x + 5
-=	Subtract or assign	x -= 3	x = x - 3
*=	Multiply or assign	x *= 2	x = x * 2
/=	Divide or assign	x /= 4	x = x / 4
%=	Modulus or assign	x %= 2	x = x % 2

Example:

let x = 5;
x += 3;  // x = 8
x *= 2;  // x = 16
console.log(x);

3. Comparison Operators

Compare two values and return true or false.

Operator	Description	Example	Result
==	Equal to	5 == "5"	true
===	Strict equal (type + value)	5 === "5"	false
!=	Not equal	5 != 3	true
!==	Strict not equal	5 !== "5"	true
>	Greater than	10 > 5	true
<	Less than	3 < 7	true
>=	Greater than or equal	8 >= 8	true
<=	Less than or equal	6 <= 5	false

Example:

let age = 18;
console.log(age >= 18);  // true
console.log(age === "18");  // false (different types)

4. Logical Operators

Combine multiple conditions.

Operator	Description	Example	Result
&&	Logical AND	true && false	false
`		`	Logical OR
!	Logical NOT	!true	false

Example:

let isAdult = true;
let hasID = false;
console.log(isAdult && hasID);  // false
console.log(isAdult || hasID);  // true

5. String Operators

Used to concatenate (join) strings.

let firstName = "Maher";
let lastName = "Baan";
let fullName = firstName + " " + lastName;  // "Maher Baan"

6. Ternary Operator

A shorthand for if-else statements.

let age = 20;
let canVote = (age >= 18) ? "Yes" : "No";
console.log(canVote);  // Yes

7. Increment/Decrement Operators

Increase or decrease a variable by 1.

Operator	Description	Example	Result
++	Increment	x++	x + 1
--	Decrement	x--	x - 1

Example:

let count = 5;
count++;  // 6
count--;  // 5
console.log(count);

Why Use Operators?

1. Perform Calculations – For mathematical operations.
2. Make Decisions – Use comparison and logical operators to control program flow.
3. Manipulate Data – Update, assign, and transform data easily.
4. Shorter Code – Reduce the need for lengthy if-else statements.

When to Use Operators?

• Arithmetic Operations – For performing calculations.
• Conditional Checks – In if statements and loops.
• String Concatenation – To build messages or form outputs dynamically.
• Boolean Logic – To handle multiple conditions efficiently.

Example: Combining Operators

let price = 100;
let discount = 0.1;
let finalPrice = price - (price * discount);  // Arithmetic
let canBuy = (finalPrice < 80) ? "Buy it!" : "Too expensive";  // Ternary
console.log(canBuy);