> ## 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.
# Swift Bitwise NOT
The `~` (bitwise NOT) operator is a unary prefix operator that inverts all bits in the binary representation of an integer. It performs a logical negation on each individual bit, transitioning every `0` to a `1` and every `1` to a `0` across the exact memory footprint of the underlying data type.
## Syntax
As a prefix operator, `~` must be placed immediately before its operand without any intervening whitespace.
```swift theme={"dark"}
let invertedValue = ~originalValue
```
## Bit-Level Mechanics
When applied to an unsigned integer, the operator performs a straightforward bitwise inversion bounded by the bit-width of the type.
```swift theme={"dark"}
let initialBits: UInt8 = 0b00001111 // Decimal: 15
let invertedBits = ~initialBits // 0b11110000 (Decimal: 240)
```
## Behavior with Signed Integers
Swift represents signed integers using two's complement. Because the sign bit is also inverted by the `~` operator, applying it to a signed integer alters its sign and magnitude. Mathematically, applying the bitwise NOT operator to a signed integer `x` yields `-(x + 1)`.
```swift theme={"dark"}
let signedInt: Int8 = 5 // Binary: 0b00000101
let invertedSigned = ~signedInt // Binary: 0b11111010 (Decimal: -6)
```
## Operator Characteristics
* **Fixity:** Prefix.
* **Type Constraints:** The operand must conform to the `BinaryInteger` protocol.
* **Precedence:** It evaluates with the highest precedence among bitwise operators. In an expression combining `~` with binary bitwise operators (like `&`, `|`, or `^`), the `~` operation is resolved first.
```swift theme={"dark"}
let a: UInt8 = 0b00001111
let b: UInt8 = 0b11110000
// ~a is evaluated first, resulting in 0b11110000
// Then 0b11110000 & 0b11110000 is evaluated
let result = ~a & b // 0b11110000
```
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