Complete Introduction to JavaScript Bitwise Binary Operators — & | ^ ~ << >>>

Bitwise operations might seem like a relic from the past or something only embedded system developers need to worry about. However, as a JavaScript web developer, understanding bitwise operations can unlock a new level of efficiency and capability in your code, especially when dealing with permissions, cryptography, or even just optimising certain calculations.

Let’s start with the basics and work our way up through practical examples.

At the end of this post, we will implement Permissions and Access Control and a Simple Cryptography encoding/decoding logic with JavaScript Bitwise Binary Operators.

What are Bits?

Bits are the most basic unit of data in computing, representing a state with one of two values: 0 or 1.

Why do JavaScript Web Developers Need to Know?

For most web development tasks, dealing directly with bits is unnecessary. JavaScript engines and high-level APIs handle the heavy lifting, allowing developers to focus on building features. However, understanding bitwise operations can be crucial for:

• Performance: Bitwise operations are incredibly fast, executed directly by the processor.