What Does the ^ Operator Do in Java?

Name: What Does the ^ Operator Do in Java?
Uploaded: 2026-09-26T23:47:42+00:00
Duration: 13 min 25 s
Description: What Function Does the ^ (Caret) Operator Serve in Java? When I Try This: Int a = 5^N; .. .It Gives Me: for N = 5, Returns 0 for N = 4, Returns 1 for N = 6...

Question

What function does the ^ (caret) operator serve in Java?

When I try this:

int a = 5^n;

...it gives me:

for n = 5, returns 0
for n = 4, returns 1
for n = 6, returns 3

...so I guess it doesn't perform exponentiation. But what is it then?

Accepted Answer

Must Read

The ^ operator in Java

^ in Java is the exclusive-or ("xor") operator.

Let's take 5^6 as example:

(decimal)    (binary)
     5     =  101
     6     =  110
------------------ xor
     3     =  011

This the truth table for bitwise (JLS 15.22.1) and logical (JLS 15.22.2) xor:

^ | 0 1      ^ | F T
--+-----     --+-----
0 | 0 1      F | F T
1 | 1 0      T | T F

More simply, you can also think of xor as "this or that, but not both!".

What Does the ^ Operator Do in Java?

19 Answers

Must Read

The ^ operator in Java

See also

Robert Thorne