Operators

Operators are special symbol that perform a particular task or operates something. Most operators are common and many languages while some language has extra operators which cannot be found in other programming languages. Here we will only discuss those which are very common to almost every programming language. Here are the most common category of operators -

• Arithmetic Operators
• Increment/Decrement Operator
• Comparison Operator
• Assignment Operator
• Compund Assignment Operator
• Ternary Operator
• Conditional Operator
• Concatenation Operator

According to how operator works, then can also be divided into three category -

• Unary Operator
• Binary Operator
• Ternary Operator

Operand

The number or variable on which the Operator is applied to, is called Operand. Let's clarify. Consider the following expression -

5 + 7

In the above example, 5 and 7 are called Operand and + is called operator. A variable can also be used as operand. For example -

a + 7
a * b
8 / b

Here, a, b, 7 and 8 are called operand and +, * and / are called operator.

Operator returns result

Operator always return result. Doesn't matter what kind of data type it returns, but it always returns result. For example -

8 + 10

In the above expression 8 + 10, the + operator will add two number 8 and 10, which will result to 18 and then returns it.