> ## Documentation Index
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> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Swift Bitwise XOR Assignment
The `^=` operator is the bitwise XOR (exclusive OR) assignment operator in Swift. It performs a bitwise XOR operation between the binary representations of two integer values and immediately assigns the resulting bit pattern back to the left-hand operand.
It is a compound assignment operator, meaning `a ^= b` is semantically equivalent to `a = a ^ b`.
## Syntax
```swift theme={"dark"}
lhs ^= rhs
```
* **`lhs`**: A mutable variable (`var`) conforming to the `BinaryInteger` protocol.
* **`rhs`**: An expression of the exact same integer type as `lhs`.
## Mechanics
The operator evaluates the operands at the bit level. For each corresponding bit position in the left-hand and right-hand operands, the XOR logic dictates the resulting bit:
* Returns `1` if the bits are **different** (one is `0` and the other is `1`).
* Returns `0` if the bits are **identical** (both are `0` or both are `1`).
## Code Visualization
```swift theme={"dark"}
var a: UInt8 = 0b0011_1100 // Decimal 60
let b: UInt8 = 0b0000_1101 // Decimal 13
a ^= b
print(String(a, radix: 2)) // Prints "110001"
```
**Bitwise Breakdown:**
```text theme={"dark"}
0011 1100 (a)
^ 0000 1101 (b)
0011 0001 (Result assigned back to 'a')
```
## Type Constraints
Because bitwise operations require direct manipulation of memory at the bit level, the `^=` operator is strictly constrained to types that conform to the `BinaryInteger` protocol (e.g., `Int`, `UInt8`, `Int32`). Attempting to use this operator on floating-point numbers (`Double`, `Float`) or non-numeric types will result in a compile-time error. Both operands must also be of the exact same type; Swift does not implicitly cast integer types during bitwise operations.
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