Uploaded April 2017 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Operators are imperative to programming languages. Removing operators from a programming language is like stripping A to Z from the english language. Seriously? Yes absolutely you need them, no language could function without operators. But what are they? Operators are functions within the compiler of that programming language. An example of an operator…

5 + 5;

… Here we’re using the plus operator which invokes a function within the compiler. The compiler holds the instructions to add whatever number is to the left and to the right of the the plus + operator. The numbers to the left and right are parameters passed into the compiled function which both are 5. Think of a function named with the plus symbol and you’re passing it to that function; in other words…

function +( a , b ){ return a + b; }

… Now evoke the + function…

+( 5 , 5 );

… Or in other words…

5 + 5;

… Operators are inline functions; meaning you just need to type the symbol instead of writing it out function like syntax making it read nicer. Essentially they're the A to Z of the english language, or that means to create statements or instructions to the compiler.

Just take a look at some of the operators here…

+ - / * % = -= += /= %= ( ) { } [ ] < > ? || && == === != !== > >= < <=

… take a look at any script and replace all the operators. What's left? Well nothing really, you have no way of running any decent set of instructions therefore removing operators would gut any programming language; from brackets to mathematical or string operators a language is hopeless without them.

Programming 101 course:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGC-hHIh7l5s6Spz86OT1u0A7kvQH-2B0

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