The JavaScript >>> represents the zero-fill right shift operator. It is also called the unsigned right-bit shift operator. It comes under the category of Bitwise operators. Bitwise operators treat operands as 32-bit integer numbers and operate on their binary representation.
Zero-fill right shift (>>>) operator: It is a binary operator, where the first operand specifies the number and the second operand specifies the number of bits to shift. The operator shifts the bits of the first operand by a number of bits specified by the second operand. The bits are shifted to the right and those excess bits are discarded, while 0 bit is added from the left. As the sign bit becomes 0, the operator ( >>> ) returns a 32-bit non-negative integer.
Example:
Input: A = 6 ( 00000000000000000000000000000110 ) B = 1 ( 00000000000000000000000000000001 ) Output: A >>> B = 3 ( 00000000000000000000000000000011 )
Syntax:
result = expression1 >>> expression2
Difference between >>> and >>: The difference between these two is that the unsigned zero-fill right shift operator (>>>) fills with zeroes from the left, and the signed right bit shift operator (>>) fills with the sign bit from the left, thus it maintains the sign of the integer value when shifted.
Example: This example implements the use of >>> operator:
Javascript
console.log( "For non negative number:<br>" ); let a = 12; // Shift right two bits let b = 2; console.log( "a = " + a + " , b = " + b); console.log( "<br>a >>> b = " + (a >>> b) + '<br>' ); console.log( "<br>For negative number:<br>" ); let a = -10; // Shift right two bits let b = 3; console.log( "a = " + a + " , b = " + b); |
For non negative number:<br> a = 12 , b = 2 <br>a >>> b = 3<br> <br>For negative number:<br> a = -10 , b = 3
Explanation: For non-negative numbers, zero-fill right shift (>>>) and sign-propagating right shift (>>) gives the same output. For example, 9 >>> 2 and 9 >> 2 give the same result i.e. 2. But for negative numbers, -9 >>> 2 gives 1073741821, and -9 >> 2 gives -3 as output.
Case 1: non-negative number 12 (base 10): 00000000000000000000000000001100 (base 2) -------------------------------- 12 >>> 2 (base 10): 00000000000000000000000000000011 (base 2) = 3 (base 10) Case 2: negative number -10 (base 10): 11111111111111111111111111110110 (base 2) -------------------------------- -10 >>> 3 (base 10): 00011111111111111111111111111110 (base 2) = 536870910 (base 10)