C Language Operator Precedence Chart
Operator precedence describes the order in which C reads expressions. For example, the expression a=4+b*2 contains two operations, an addition and a multiplication. Does the C compiler evaluate 4+b first, then multiply the result by 2, or does it evaluate b*2 first, then add 4 to the result? The operator precedence chart contains the answers. Operators higher in the chart have a higher precedence, meaning that the C compiler evaluates them first. Operators on the same line in the chart have the same precedence, and the "Associativity" column on the right gives their evaluation order.
| Operator Type | Operator | Associativity |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Expression Operators | () [] . -> expr++ expr-- |
left-to-right |
| Unary Operators | * & + - ! ~ ++expr --expr (typecast) sizeof |
right-to-left |
| Binary Operators | * / % |
left-to-right |
+ - | ||
>> << | ||
< > <= >= | ||
== != | ||
& | ||
^ | ||
| | ||
&& | ||
|| | ||
| Ternary Operator | ?: |
right-to-left |
| Assignment Operators | = += -= *= /= %= >>= <<= &= ^= |= |
right-to-left |
| Comma | , |
left-to-right |