Operator
An operator is a symbol, keyword, or language construct that specifies an operation on one or more operands.
Kotlin in Action, 2E
The `..<` operator constructs a range that includes its lower endpoint and excludes its upper endpoint.
- How it is used
- Defines exclusive rectangle boundaries while testing point membership with `in`.
- How deep it goes
- Explains endpoint inclusion and applies the operator in a two-coordinate containment check.
- Examples
- Uses `10..<20` and a `Rectangle.contains` implementation for point membership.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via Kotlin ranges to exclude an ending coordinate from membership tests.
Modern C, Third Edition
An operator is a C symbol or symbol sequence that specifies an operation on one or more operands.
- How it is used
- Classifies symbols and symbol sequences that express computations, object operations, and type queries in C.
- How deep it goes
- Defines operands, catalogs value, object, and type operators, then develops arithmetic, conversions, and sequencing constraints.
- Examples
- Uses a + b, size_t arithmetic with parentheses, operator tables, and function calls whose side effects can vary in order.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate/understand operator expressions by identifying operands, grouping sub-expressions, checking types, and recognizing sequencing constraints.
Building User-Friendly DSLs
A language element that governs the operation performed by an expression concept on its contained subexpressions.
- How it is used
- Governs the operation performed by expression subexpressions when describing business calculations or decisions in a DSL.
- How deep it goes
- Explains operator placement, operands, arity, and refactoring to one operator per expression, but defers order of operations.
- Examples
- Uses rental discounts, arithmetic, logical, comparison, negation, division, and increment or decrement examples.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate/understand operator notation, operand structure, and the role of operators in composable expression concepts.
Modern C
An operator is a C symbol or token that specifies an operation on one or more operands.
- How it is used
- Uses operators to express arithmetic, assignment, comparison, iteration, and control-oriented computation in C.
- How deep it goes
- Explains operator categories, unary forms, grouping, comparison results, unsigned arithmetic, and evaluation-order limits.
- Examples
- Uses size_t arithmetic, parenthesized expressions, comparison-based array indexing, and incrementing loop variables.
- What you can do after
- Apply C operators to calculate values, modify objects, compare operands, and use boolean results in arithmetic or indexing.
Get Programming: Learn to code with Python
An operator is a symbolic element of Python syntax that specifies an operation on one or more values or objects.
- How it is used
- Uses operators for calculations and as shorthand that custom classes can define.
- How deep it goes
- Defines operators as shorthand for object methods and works through Fraction addition, while noting many special methods remain unlisted.
- Examples
- Demonstrates hours-to-minutes arithmetic, Fraction addition, and midpoint calculations for names.
- What you can do after
- Build custom operator behavior by implementing special methods such as __add__, and calculate whole hours or leftover minutes.
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100 Java Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
A Java operator is a language symbol or keyword that performs an operation on one or more operands.
- How it is used
- Uses operators to diagnose expression bugs caused by incorrect symbols, precedence assumptions, and ignored expression values.
- How deep it goes
- Explains precedence categories and reference identity, then stops short of covering type-specific bugs beyond wrapper comparisons.
- Examples
- Uses Java precedence tables and Integer comparisons whose results vary with wrapper-object caching.
- What you can do after
- Diagnose expression mistakes, enforce evaluation order with parentheses, and choose equals() for object-content comparisons.
Read how 100 Java Mistakes and How to Avoid Them explains operator →
The Quick Python Book, Fourth Edition
An operator is a language construct that performs an operation on one or more operands, including path construction with pathlib operands.
- How it is used
- Uses operators to manipulate values, control conditions, combine expressions, and construct filesystem paths.
- How deep it goes
- Explains arithmetic, comparison, Boolean, precedence, and pathlib uses, but defers the complete operator catalog to documentation.
- Examples
- Demonstrates averages, chained range comparisons, Boolean short-circuiting, identity tests, and cross-platform pathname construction.
- What you can do after
- Apply arithmetic, comparison, Boolean, and pathlib operators in small Python expressions.
Read how The Quick Python Book, Fourth Edition explains operator →
Related concepts
- equality by valueuses · Equality by value is an equality semantics in which values are considered equal when they represent equivalent contents, regardless of object identity.
- comparisonincludes · A comparison is a language operation that tests a relationship between values or expressions, such as equality or ordering, and produces a result.
- operanduses · An operand is a value, expression, object, or location on which an operator performs an operation.
- arithmetic operatorincludes · An arithmetic operator is a programming-language operator that performs a numerical calculation on one or more operands.
- operator moduleimplemented by · The operator module is a Python standard-library module providing function forms of built-in operators and related operations.
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