What's the Difference Between the `|` and `||` Operators in C# OR Expressions?

How Do the | and || Operators in OR Expressions Differ?

When working with logical operators, we often encounter the || (double pipe) operator for OR expressions. However, there's also a single pipe operator, |. Understanding the difference between these usage is crucial.

Short-Circuit Behavior

Like the && and &&& operator, the || operator is a "short-circuit" operator. In OR expressions, this means that if the first condition evaluates to true, the subsequent conditions are not evaluated.

For instance:

if(condition1 || condition2 || condition3)

If condition1 is true, condition2 and condition3 will not be checked.

In contrast, the | operator does not exhibit this short-circuit behavior.

if(condition1 | condition2 | condition3)

With this operator, conditions2 and 3 will be checked even if condition1 is true. This can be advantageous when conditions are expensive functions, as it can provide a performance boost.

Null References and Exceptions

However, there's a caveat to consider when using the | operator. Unlike the || operator, which can prevent NullReferenceExceptions, the | operator does not offer this protection.

For example:

if(class != null & & class.someVar < 20)

With the || operator, if class is null, the statement gracefully exits after evaluating the first condition. On the other hand, with the | operator, class.someVar will be evaluated even if class is null, potentially triggering a NullReferenceException.

Bitwise Operations

Apart from OR expressions, the | and & operators have another use: bitwise operations. These operations involve manipulating bits within binary representations, providing more precise control over specific bits.

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