> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.syntblaze.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Go Bitwise XOR
In Go, the `^` symbol functions as a bitwise operator exclusively for integer types. Its behavior is determined by its arity: it acts as a **bitwise XOR (Exclusive OR)** when used as a binary operator, and as a **bitwise NOT (Complement)** when used as a unary operator.
## Binary Operation: Bitwise XOR
When placed between two operands, `^` performs a logical exclusive OR operation on each corresponding pair of bits. It yields `1` if the bits are different, and `0` if they are identical.
```go theme={"dark"}
var a uint8 = 12 // Binary: 00001100
var b uint8 = 10 // Binary: 00001010
result := a ^ b // Binary: 00000110 (Decimal: 6)
```
## Unary Operation: Bitwise NOT (Complement)
When placed before a single operand, `^` acts as the bitwise complement operator. Go uses `^` for this operation instead of the `~` operator found in C-family languages. It inverts every bit of the operand, changing `0` to `1` and `1` to `0`.
```go theme={"dark"}
var a uint8 = 12 // Binary: 00001100
result := ^a // Binary: 11110011 (Decimal: 243)
```
**Behavior with Signed Integers:**
Because Go represents signed integers using two's complement architecture, applying the unary `^` to a signed integer inverts the sign bit alongside the data bits. Mathematically, `^x` on a signed integer evaluates to `-(x + 1)`.
```go theme={"dark"}
var x int8 = 12 // Binary: 00001100
result := ^x // Binary: 11110011 (Decimal: -13)
```
## Composite Operator: Bit Clear (`&^`)
The `^` character is also a constituent of Go's bit clear (AND NOT) operator, `&^`. This binary operator clears the bits of the left operand wherever the corresponding bits of the right operand are `1`. It is mechanically equivalent to `a & (^b)`.
```go theme={"dark"}
var a uint8 = 12 // Binary: 00001100
var b uint8 = 10 // Binary: 00001010
result := a &^ b // Binary: 00000100 (Decimal: 4)
```
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