Using Binary Literals in C#: Improving Code Readability for Binary Data

Learn how to use binary literals in C# to represent numbers directly in binary format (using the `0b` prefix). This tutorial explains their syntax, demonstrates using underscores as separators for enhanced readability, and highlights their benefits when working with bitwise operations and binary data.

Using Binary Literals in C#

C# allows you to write numbers directly in binary format using binary literals. This improves code readability when working with binary data, making it easier to understand the bit patterns.

Binary Literals in C#

C# uses the prefix `0b` to denote binary literals. The compiler recognizes this prefix and interprets the following digits (0 and 1) as a binary number. This makes it easier to represent and work with binary data directly in your code.

Example: Basic Binary Literals

int a = 0b1010; // Binary 1010 (decimal 10)
int b = 0x00A; // Hexadecimal 0xA (decimal 10)
Console.WriteLine(a); // Output: 10
Console.WriteLine(b); // Output: 10

Using Digit Separators for Readability

For better readability, you can use the underscore character (`_`) as a digit separator in binary (and hexadecimal) literals. This doesn't change the value, but it makes long binary numbers much easier to read and understand.

Example: Binary Literals with Separators

int a = 0b1_01_0; // Binary 1010 (decimal 10)
int b = 0x00_A; // Hexadecimal 0xA (decimal 10)
Console.WriteLine(a); // Output: 10
Console.WriteLine(b); // Output: 10