C++ XOR Operator Guide: Bitwise Uses & Examples

In C++, the XOR operator (^) is used to perform bitwise XOR operation. It works by XORing each corresponding bit of two operands and returning the result. The rule of XOR operation is as follows:

1. The result is 0 if the corresponding bits of the two operands are the same.
2. If the corresponding bits of the two operands are different, the result will be 1.

The XOR operator is commonly used in the following aspects:

1. To swap the values of two variables, you can use the XOR operator without needing an extra variable. For example, you can swap the values of variables a and b by using a = a ^ b, b = a ^ b, and a = a ^ b.
2. Check for even and odd numbers: By using the XOR operator to perform XOR operation between a number and 1, you can determine if the number is even or odd. If the result is 0, it is even; if the result is 1, it is odd. For example, you can use (n ^ 1) == 0 to check if n is even.
3. Encrypting and decrypting strings: XOR operation can be used in simple encryption and decryption algorithms. For example, a string can be XORed with a key for encryption, and then the encrypted string can be XORed with the same key for decryption.

In conclusion, the XOR operator in C++ has multiple purposes, including swapping variables, checking parity, and simple encryption/decryption.