Number Systems
Binary, Decimal and Hex Conversion: A Step-by-Step Guide
Convert between binary, decimal, hexadecimal and octal by hand with clear worked examples, shortcut tables, and code in Python and JavaScript.
Bitwise Guides and Tutorials
Practical, example-driven guides to bitwise operators, binary number systems, and the places bit manipulation shows up in real code, from subnet masks to file permissions. Written by Hamza, creator of Bitwise Calculator.
Showing 1-12 of 12 guides
Algorithms
12 Bit Manipulation Tricks Every Programmer Should Know
Practical bit manipulation tricks with explanations: power-of-two checks, lowest set bit, popcount, swapping, sign tests, rounding to powers of two, and subset enumeration.
Programming Languages
Bitwise Operators in Python: A Complete Guide With Examples
Learn Python's &, |, ^, ~, << and >> operators, how unlimited-precision integers affect results, how to emulate 8, 16, 32 and 64-bit math, and useful int methods.
Systems
Endianness Explained: Big-Endian vs Little-Endian Byte Order
Understand big-endian and little-endian byte order, why x86 and ARM are little-endian, why networks use big-endian, and how to read and swap bytes safely in C, Python and JavaScript.
Software Design
Feature Flags With Bitfields: Store Many Booleans in One Integer
How to store feature flags and settings as bits in a single integer, with design rules, database queries, versioning tips, and code in C, Python, JavaScript and SQL.
Programming Languages
JavaScript Bitwise Operators: The 32-Bit Gotchas Explained
Understand how JavaScript converts numbers to 32-bit integers for &, |, ^, ~, <<, >> and >>>, why results turn negative, and when to use BigInt for 64-bit masks.
Bit Shifts
Logical vs Arithmetic Right Shift: What's the Difference?
Learn the difference between logical (zero-fill) and arithmetic (sign-fill) right shifts, how C, Java, JavaScript and Python handle them, and why -7 >> 1 is -4.
Networking
Subnet Masks and Bitwise AND: How IP Networks Are Calculated
Learn how routers use bitwise AND with subnet masks to find network addresses, how CIDR prefixes map to masks, and how to calculate broadcast addresses and host ranges.
Number Systems
Two's Complement Explained: How Computers Store Negative Numbers
Learn how two's complement represents signed integers, why ~x equals -(x+1), how to convert by hand, and how overflow and sign extension work, with 8-bit examples.
Systems
Unix File Permissions in Binary: What chmod 755 Really Means
Understand Unix permission bits in binary and octal, how chmod numbers are built with bitwise OR, how umask uses AND and NOT, and what setuid, setgid and the sticky bit do.
Bitwise Operators
Bit Masking Guide: Read, Set, Clear, and Toggle Bits
A practical bit masking tutorial with AND, OR, XOR, and NOT. Learn the four core mask operations with a worked permissions example in C, Python, and JavaScript.
Binary Arithmetic
Bitwise XOR Use Cases: 8 Real Examples Explained
See where XOR is used in real software: toggling flags, swapping values, parity checks, RAID, checksums, ciphers, graphics, and finding unique elements, with code.