When writing programs, we constantly need to perform operations such as adding numbers, comparing values, or making decisions based on conditions. In JavaScript, operators allow us to perform these tasks easily.

In this article, we'll understand what operators are and explore some of the most commonly used types in JavaScript.

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What Are Operators?

Operators are special symbols used to perform operations on values (called operands).

For example:

let result = 5 + 3;

Here:

• + is the operator

• 5 and 3 are operands

• The result becomes 8

Operators help us perform calculations, comparisons, and logical decisions in our programs.

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Arithmetic Operators

Arithmetic operators are used to perform mathematical calculations.

Common Arithmetic Operators

Operator	Meaning	Example
+	Addition	5 + 2
-	Subtraction	5 - 2
*	Multiplication	5 * 2
/	Division	10 / 2
%	Modulus (remainder)	10 % 3

Example

let a = 10;
let b = 3;

console.log(a + b); // 13
console.log(a - b); // 7
console.log(a * b); // 30
console.log(a / b); // 3.333...
console.log(a % b); // 1

The modulus (%) operator returns the remainder after division.

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Comparison Operators

Comparison operators are used to compare two values.
They return either true or false.

Common Comparison Operators

Operator	Meaning
==	Equal to
===	Strict equal to
!=	Not equal to
>	Greater than
<	Less than

Example

console.log(5 > 3);  // true
console.log(5 < 3);  // false
console.log(5 == "5");  // true
console.log(5 === "5"); // false

Difference Between == and ===

This is one of the most important concepts in JavaScript.

== compares values only.

console.log(5 == "5"); // true

JavaScript converts the string "5" to the number 5, so the result becomes true.

=== compares both value and type.

console.log(5 === "5"); // false

Here the values look the same, but the types are different:

• 5 → number

• "5" → string

So the result is false.

In modern JavaScript, developers usually prefer === because it avoids unexpected type conversions.

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Logical Operators

Logical operators are used to combine multiple conditions.

Common Logical Operators

Operator	Meaning
&&	AND
!	NOT

Examples

let age = 20;
let hasID = true;

console.log(age > 18 && hasID); 
// true (both conditions are true)

console.log(age < 18 || hasID); 
// true (one condition is true)

console.log(!hasID); 
// false (NOT reverses the value)

Logical operators are very useful in decision-making conditions.

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Assignment Operators

Assignment operators are used to assign values to variables.

Common Assignment Operators

Operator	Meaning
=	Assign value
+=	Add and assign
-=	Subtract and assign

Examples

let score = 10;

score += 5;
console.log(score); // 15

score -= 3;
console.log(score); // 12

+= and -= are shortcuts that make code shorter and cleaner.

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Small Practice Example

Let’s combine everything we learned.

let num1 = 8;
let num2 = 4;

// Arithmetic
console.log(num1 + num2); // 12
console.log(num1 * num2); // 32

// Comparison
console.log(num1 == "8");  // true
console.log(num1 === "8"); // false

// Logical condition
let result = num1 > num2 && num2 > 2;
console.log(result); // true

This small example shows how arithmetic, comparison, and logical operators work together.

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Conclusion

Operators are one of the fundamental building blocks of JavaScript. They allow us to perform calculations, compare values, and make decisions in our code.

In this article we covered:

• What operators are

• Arithmetic operators (+, -, *, /, %)

• Comparison operators (==, ===, !=, >, <)

• Logical operators (&&, ||, !)

• Assignment operators (=, +=, -=)

Mastering these operators will make it much easier to write effective JavaScript programs.

As you continue learning, you’ll use these operators in almost every piece of code you write.

Happy coding!