C# Academy · Lesson

Bitwise and Shift Operators

Manipulate bits with &, |, ^, ~, and shifts.

Bitwise and Shift Operators is a free C# Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the C# Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Bits and Binary

Integers are stored as bits. Bitwise operators act on those individual bits. C# offers &, |, ^, ~, <<, and >>.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        int x = 5;
        Console.WriteLine(Convert.ToString(x, 2));
    }
}

Bitwise AND: &

& sets a bit to 1 only when both bits are 1. 5 & 3 compares 101 and 011 to give 001 = 1.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        Console.WriteLine(5 & 3);
        Console.WriteLine(12 & 10);
    }
}

Bitwise OR: |

| sets a bit to 1 when either bit is 1. 5 | 3 gives 111 = 7.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        Console.WriteLine(5 | 3);
        Console.WriteLine(8 | 1);
    }
}

Bitwise XOR: ^

^ sets a bit to 1 when the bits differ. 5 ^ 3 gives 110 = 6.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        Console.WriteLine(5 ^ 3);
        Console.WriteLine(7 ^ 7);
    }
}

Bitwise NOT: ~

~ flips every bit. Because of two-complement representation, ~n equals -(n + 1).

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        Console.WriteLine(~5);
        Console.WriteLine(~0);
    }
}

Left Shift: <<

<< moves bits left, filling zeros on the right. Each shift by one doubles the value: 1 << 3 is 8.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        Console.WriteLine(1 << 3);
        Console.WriteLine(5 << 1);
    }
}

Right Shift: >>

>> moves bits right. For positive numbers each shift halves the value: 20 >> 2 is 5.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        Console.WriteLine(20 >> 2);
        Console.WriteLine(8 >> 1);
    }
}

Bit Masks

A mask isolates specific bits. AND a value with a mask to keep only those bits.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        int value = 0b1011;
        int mask = 0b0110;
        Console.WriteLine(value & mask);
    }
}

Setting and Clearing Bits

Use | with a single-bit mask to set a bit, and & with the inverted mask to clear it.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        int flags = 0;
        flags |= (1 << 2);
        Console.WriteLine(flags);
        flags &= ~(1 << 2);
        Console.WriteLine(flags);
    }
}

Checking a Bit

To test whether a bit is set, AND with its mask and compare to non-zero.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        int flags = 0b0100;
        bool isSet = (flags & (1 << 2)) != 0;
        Console.WriteLine(isSet);
    }
}

Shift as Fast Multiply

Shifting is a fast way to multiply or divide by powers of two, common in performance-sensitive code.

using System;

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        int n = 7;
        Console.WriteLine(n << 2);
        Console.WriteLine(n >> 1);
    }
}

Quick Check

Test your bitwise knowledge.

Recap

Bitwise operators work bit by bit: & AND, | OR, ^ XOR, and ~ NOT. Shifts << and >> move bits left or right, multiplying or dividing by powers of two.

With masks you can set, clear, and test individual bits, the foundation for flags and low-level data work.

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Bitwise and Shift Operators” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Bitwise and Shift Operators” is free to read here on the web, and the C# Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the C# Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Bitwise and Shift Operators”?

Manipulate bits with &, |, ^, ~, and shifts. You practise C# Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start C# Academy?

No prior experience is required. C# Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 3 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Bitwise and Shift Operators” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this C# Academy lesson?

Yes. Every C# Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

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