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Binary Calculator Perform binary arithmetic and bitwise operations (AND, OR, XOR, NOT).

Binary Calculator illustration
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Binary Calculator

Perform binary arithmetic and bitwise operations (AND, OR, XOR, NOT).

1

Choose Operation

Select arithmetic (add, subtract, multiply) or bitwise (AND, OR, XOR, NOT) operation.

2

Enter Binary Numbers

Type binary values using only 0s and 1s.

3

View Multi-Base Results

See the result in binary, decimal, hexadecimal, and octal formats.

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What Is Binary Calculator?

A binary calculator performs arithmetic and logical operations in binary (base-2), the fundamental number system of digital computing. Every piece of data in a computer — from text to images to videos — is ultimately represented in binary. This calculator supports standard arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication) and bitwise logical operations (AND, OR, XOR, NOT), which are essential in programming, networking, and digital electronics. Each result is displayed in multiple number bases (binary, decimal, hex, and octal) for cross-reference. Understanding binary arithmetic is crucial for computer science students, embedded systems engineers, network administrators working with IP addresses and subnet masks, and anyone working close to the hardware level.

Why Use Binary Calculator?

  • Supports both arithmetic and bitwise logical operations
  • Shows results in binary, decimal, hex, and octal simultaneously
  • Real-time decimal preview of binary inputs
  • Includes NOT (unary) operation for bit inversion
  • Clean interface designed for binary-native input

Common Use Cases

Computer Science Education

Learn and verify binary arithmetic for CS courses and digital logic classes.

Network Engineering

Perform subnet calculations using binary AND operations on IP addresses.

Embedded Programming

Work with register values and bit manipulation in firmware development.

Digital Electronics

Verify logic gate operations and binary circuit behavior.

Technical Guide

Binary (base-2) uses only digits 0 and 1. Binary addition follows: 0+0=0, 0+1=1, 1+0=1, 1+1=10 (carry 1). Subtraction uses borrow mechanics similar to decimal subtraction. Multiplication uses shift-and-add, like long multiplication in decimal. Bitwise operations work on individual bits: AND (both 1 → 1, else 0), OR (either 1 → 1), XOR (exactly one 1 → 1), NOT (inverts all bits). These operations are fundamental to how CPUs process data — addition circuits use full adders, and bitwise operations are single-clock-cycle instructions. The calculator parses binary strings, performs operations using JavaScript's integer operators, and formats results across bases using toString(base). Note that JavaScript uses 32-bit signed integers for bitwise operations, so NOT uses a bitmask based on the input length rather than a fixed 32-bit width.

Tips & Best Practices

  • 1
    Binary 1010 = decimal 10 (8+2)
  • 2
    AND is used for masking specific bits (e.g., subnet masks)
  • 3
    XOR is used for toggling bits and simple encryption
  • 4
    NOT inverts all bits — the result depends on the bit width
  • 5
    Shifting left by 1 is equivalent to multiplying by 2

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q How does binary addition work?
0+0=0, 0+1=1, 1+0=1, 1+1=10 (write 0, carry 1). It's just like decimal addition but with only two digits.
Q What is bitwise AND used for?
AND is commonly used for bit masking — extracting specific bits from a value. In networking, subnet masks use AND to determine the network portion of an IP address.
Q What is XOR used for?
XOR outputs 1 when inputs differ. It's used in error detection (checksums), simple encryption (XOR cipher), and swapping variables without a temporary variable.
Q How does binary relate to hexadecimal?
Each hex digit represents exactly 4 binary digits. For example, hex F = binary 1111, hex A = binary 1010. This makes conversion between binary and hex straightforward.
Q What does NOT do to a binary number?
NOT inverts every bit: 0 becomes 1 and 1 becomes 0. The result depends on the bit width used for the operation.

About This Tool

Binary Calculator is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.