In Python, bitwise operators are used to perform bitwise calculations on integers. The integers are first converted into binary and then operations are performed bit by bit, hence the name bitwise operators. Then the result is returned in decimal format.
Note: Python bitwise operators work only on integers.
Example:
#!/usr/bin/python
a = 60 # 60 = 0011 1100
b = 13 # 13 = 0000 1101
c = 0
c = a & b; # 12 = 0000 1100
print "Line 1 - Value of c is ", c
c = a | b; # 61 = 0011 1101
print "Line 2 - Value of c is ", c
c = a ^ b; # 49 = 0011 0001
print "Line 3 - Value of c is ", c
c = ~a; # -61 = 1100 0011
print "Line 4 - Value of c is ", c
c = a << 2; # 240 = 1111 0000
print "Line 5 - Value of c is ", c
c = a >> 2; # 15 = 0000 1111
print "Line 6 - Value of c is ", c
When you execute the above program it produces the following
Output−
Line 1 - Value of c is 12
Line 2 - Value of c is 61
Line 3 - Value of c is 49
Line 4 - Value of c is -61
Line 5 - Value of c is 240
Line 6 - Value of c is 15