Operators specify an evaluation to be performed on one of the following:
The C++ language includes all C operators and adds several new operators. Table 1.1 lists the operators available in Microsoft C++.
Operators follow a strict precedence which defines the evaluation order of expressions containing these operators. Operators associate with either the expression on their left or the expression on their right; this is called “associativity.” Operators in the same group have equal precedence and are evaluated left to right in an expression unless explicitly forced by a pair of parentheses, ( ). Table 1.1 shows the precedence and associativity of C++ operators (from highest to lowest precedence).
Table 1.1 C++ Operator Precedence and Associativity
| Operator | Name or Meaning | Associativity |
| :: | Scope resolution | None |
| :: | Global | None |
| [ ] | Array subscript | Left to right |
| ( ) | Function call | Left to right |
| ( ) | Conversion | None |
| . | Member selection (object) | Left to right |
| –> | Member selection (pointer) | Left to right |
| ++ | Postfix increment | None |
–– |
Postfix decrement | None |
| new | Allocate object | None |
| delete | Deallocate object | None |
| delete[ ] | Deallocate object | None |
| ++ | Prefix increment | None |
–– |
Prefix decrement | None |
| * | Dereference | None |
| & | Address-of | None |
| + | Unary plus | None |
| – | Arithmetic negation (unary) | None |
| ! | Logical NOT | None |
| ~ | Bitwise complement | None |
| sizeof | Size of object | None |
| sizeof ( ) | Size of type | None |
| typeid( ) | type name | None |
| (type) | Type cast (conversion) | Right to left |
| const_cast | Type cast (conversion) | None |
| dynamic_cast | Type cast (conversion) | None |
| reinterpret_cast | Type cast (conversion) | None |
| static_cast | Type cast (conversion) | None |
| .* | Apply pointer to class member (objects) | Left to right |
| –>* | Dereference pointer to class member | Left to right |
| * | Multiplication | Left to right |
| / | Division | Left to right |
| % | Remainder (modulus) | Left to right |
| + | Addition | Left to right |
| – | Subtraction | Left to right |
| << | Left shift | Left to right |
| >> | Right shift | Left to right |
| < | Less than | Left to right |
| > | Greater than | Left to right |
| <= | Less than or equal to | Left to right |
| >= | Greater than or equal to | Left to right |
| == | Equality | Left to right |
| != | Inequality | Left to right |
| & | Bitwise AND | Left to right |
| ^ | Bitwise exclusive OR | Left to right |
| | | Bitwise OR | Left to right |
| && | Logical AND | Left to right |
| || | Logical OR | Left to right |
| e1?e2:e3 | Conditional | Right to left |
| = | Assignment | Right to left |
| *= | Multiplication assignment | Right to left |
| /= | Division assignment | Right to left |
| %= | Modulus assignment | Right to left |
| += | Addition assignment | Right to left |
–= |
Subtraction assignment | Right to left |
| <<= | Left-shift assignment | Right to left |
| >>= | Right-shift assignment | Right to left |
| &= | Bitwise AND assignment | Right to left |
| |= | Bitwise inclusive OR assignment | Right to left |
| ^= | Bitwise exclusive OR assignment | Right to left |
| , | Comma | Left to right |