Relational Operators

Relational operators check if a specific relation between two operands is true. The result is evaluated to 1 (which means true) or 0 (which means false). This result is often used to affect control flow (via if, while, for), but can also be stored in variables.

Equals “==”

Checks whether the supplied operands are equal.

1 == 0;         /* evaluates to 0. */
1 == 1;         /* evaluates to 1. */

int x = 5;
int y = 5;
int *xptr = &x, *yptr = &y;
xptr == yptr;   /* evaluates to 0, the operands hold different location addresses. */
*xptr == *yptr; /* evaluates to 1, the operands point at locations that hold the same value. */

Attention: This operator should not be confused with the assignment operator (=)!

Not equals “!=”

Checks whether the supplied operands are not equal.

1 != 0;         /* evaluates to 1. */
1 != 1;         /* evaluates to 0. */

int x = 5;
int y = 5;
int *xptr = &x, *yptr = &y;
xptr != yptr;   /* evaluates to 1, the operands hold different location addresses. */
*xptr != *yptr; /* evaluates to 0, the operands point at locations that hold the same value. */

This operator effectively returns the opposite result to that of the equals (==) operator.

Not “!”

Check whether an object is equal to 0.

The \! can also be used directly with a variable as follows:

!someVal

This has the same effect as:

someVal == 0

Greater than “>”

Checks whether the left hand operand has a greater value than the right hand operand

5 > 4      /* evaluates to 1. */
4 > 5      /* evaluates to 0. */
4 > 4      /* evaluates to 0. */

Less than “<”

Checks whether the left hand operand has a smaller value than the right hand operand

5 < 4      /* evaluates to 0. */
4 < 5      /* evaluates to 1. */
4 < 4      /* evaluates to 0. */

Greater than or equal “>=”

Checks whether the left hand operand has a greater or equal value to the right operand.

5 >= 4      /* evaluates to 1. */
4 >= 5      /* evaluates to 0. */
4 >= 4      /* evaluates to 1. */

Less than or equal “<=”

Checks whether the left hand operand has a smaller or equal value to the right operand.

5 <= 4      /* evaluates to 0. */
4 <= 5      /* evaluates to 1. */
4 <= 4      /* evaluates to 1. */