How do bitwise operations affect performance in programming?

How do bitwise operations affect performance in programming?

Bitwise operations are generally faster than arithmetic operations because they operate directly on the binary representations of numbers.

Can you give me an example of a bitwise operation?

Sure! For instance, the bitwise AND operation (&) compares each bit of two numbers and returns a new number with bits set to 1 only where both original bits are 1.

Are there specific scenarios where I should prefer bitwise operations?

Yes, bitwise operations are particularly useful in low-level programming, graphics, and performance-critical applications where speed is essential.

What about readability? Do bitwise operations make code harder to understand?

They can make code less readable, especially for those unfamiliar with binary operations. It's important to balance performance with code clarity.