Difference between Increment and Decrement Operators
Programming languages like C/C++/Java have increment and decrement operators. These are very useful and common operators.
- Increment Operators: The increment operator is used to increment the value of a variable in an expression. In the Pre-Increment, value is first incremented and then used inside the expression. Whereas in the Post-Increment, value is first used inside the expression and then incremented.
Syntax:
// PREFIX ++m // POSTFIX m++ where m is a variable
Example:
#include <stdio.h>
int
increment(
int
a,
int
b)
{
a = 5;
// POSTFIX
b = a++;
printf
(
"%d"
, b);
// PREFIX
int
c = ++b;
printf
(
"\n%d"
, c);
}
// Driver code
int
main()
{
int
x, y;
increment(x, y);
return
0;
}
chevron_rightfilter_none - Decrement Operators: The decrement operator is used to decrement the value of a variable in an expression. In the Pre-Decrement, value is first decremented and then used inside the expression. Whereas in the Post-Decrement, value is first used inside the expression and then decremented.
Syntax:
// PREFIX --m // POSTFIX m-- where m is a variable
Example:
#include <stdio.h>
int
decrement(
int
a,
int
b)
{
a = 5;
// POSTFIX
b = a--;
printf
(
"%d"
, b);
// PREFIX
int
c = --b;
printf
(
"\n%d"
, c);
}
// Driver code
int
main()
{
int
x, y;
decrement(x, y);
return
0;
}
chevron_rightfilter_none
Differences between Increment And Decrement Operators:
Increment Operators | Decrement Operators |
---|---|
Increment Operator adds 1 to the operand. | Decrement Operator subtracts 1 from the operand. |
Postfix increment operator means the expression is evaluated first using the original value of the variable and then the variable is incremented(increased). | Postfix decrement operator means the expression is evaluated first using the original value of the variable and then the variable is decremented(decreased). |
Prefix increment operator means the variable is incremented first and then the expression is evaluated using the new value of the variable. | Prefix decrement operator means the variable is decremented first and then the expression is evaluated using the new value of the variable. |
Generally, we use this in decision making and looping. | This is also used in decision making and looping. |
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