Assignment Operators in Java

In Java, the assignment operator is used to assign values to a variable. It is denoted by the equals to symbol (=).

Types of Assignment Operators

There are the following two types of assignment operators in Java.

1. Simple Assignment Operator
2. Compound Assignment Operator

Simple Assignment Operator (=)

To assign a value to a variable, use the basic assignment operator (=). It is the most fundamental assignment operator in Java. It assigns the right-hand side value to the left-hand side variable.

Example:

The above statement assigns the right-side value to the left-hand side variable.

Compound Assignment Operator

Compound assignment operators are the combinations of basic operations (like addition or subtraction) with assignment.

In other words, we can say that combining the arithmetic operators with the simple assignment operator creates compound assignments. These operators are shorthand for common operations, so it is also known as shorthand operators.

Note: Do not change the order of the operator. It means first write the operation symbol to perform after the assignment operator. It is an invalid =+ compound assignment operator.

There are the following types of compound assignment operators.

1. Addition Assignment Operator
2. Subtraction Assignment Operator
3. Multiplication Assignment Operator
4. Division Assignment Operator
5. Bitwise Assignment Operator

Addition Assignment Operator (+=)

The addition Assignment operator is used to add a value to a variable and subsequently assign the new value to the same variable. It takes the value on the right side of the operator, adds it to the variable's existing value on the left side, and then assigns the new value to the variable. The (+=) symbol denotes it. For example, consider the following program.

Output:

15

Subtraction Assignment Operator (-=)

The subtraction assignment operator is used to subtract a value from a variable and subsequently assign the new value to the same variable. It takes the value on the right side of the operator, subtracts it from the variable's existing value on the left side, and then assigns the new value to the variable. The (-=) symbol denotes it. For example, consider the following program.

Output:

5

Multiplication Assignment Operator (*=)

The multiplication assignment operator is used to multiply a value by a variable and subsequently assign the new value to the same variable. It takes the value on the right side of the operator, multiplies it by the variable's existing value on the left side, and then assigns the new value to the variable. The (*=) symbol denotes it. For example, consider the following program.

Output:

50

Division Assignment Operator (/=)

The division assignment operator is used to divide a value by a variable and subsequently assign the new value to the same variable. The (/=) symbol denotes it. For example, consider the following program.

Output:

2

Modulus Assignment Operator (%=)

The modulus assignment operator (%=) computes the remainder of a variable divided by a value and then assigns the resulting value to the same variable. It takes the value on the right side of the operator, divides it by the current value of the variable on the left side, and then assigns the new value to the variable on the left side.

Output:

1

Bitwise Assignment Operators

We can also use the assignment operator with the bitwise operator. The following table depicts an example of the bitwise assignment operator.

Output:

x <<= 2: 40
x >>= 1: 20
x &= 5: 4
x |= 2: 6
x ^= 1: 7

Important Points to Remember

1. Integer Division Truncation: When performing integer division, the fractional part is discarded.
2. Modulus Operator: The Modulus Operator allows users to check for even or odd numbers (x % 2) along with performing cyclic operations and hashing functions.
3. Bitwise Assignment Operators: Used for efficient manipulation of binary data.
4. Left Shift (<<) and Right Shift (>>): Useful for fast multiplication and division by powers of two.
5. Compound Assignment Operators (+=, -=, etc.): These provide shortened syntax for variable modification. The shorthand operators enhance variable modification and improve code readability while maintaining program maintainability.
6. Precedence: The precedence of assignment operators remains lower than most other operators, which may demand parenthesis usage in complex expressions.
7. Overflow and Underflow: Be mindful of integer limits when using assignment operators in calculations.

Java Assignment Operator MCQs

1. Which of the following is NOT an assignment operator?

1. =
2. +
3. *=
4. -=

2. What does the operator >>=do?

1. Right-shifts and Assign
2. Left-shifts and Assign
3. Right-shifts filled with zeros and Assign
4. Left-shifts filled with zeros and Assign

3. Which of the following is equivalent of a*=5?

1. a=a*5
2. a=a/5
3. a=a-5
4. a=a+5

4. Which of the following operators is used for zero-fill right shift?

1. >>=
2. <<=
3. &=
4. >>>=

5. Evaluate the value of x for the expression x+=6, when x is 4.

1. 6
2. 4
3. 10
4. 2