Bit Shift Calculator

This computational tool performs bitwise shift operations that move binary digit positions left or right, fundamental operations in low-level programming, computer graphics, cryptography, and optimization. Left shifts multiply values by powers of two while right shifts perform integer division by powers of two, providing efficient alternatives to arithmetic operations on processors where shift instructions execute faster than multiplication or division.

The calculator supports logical shifts (filling vacant positions with zeros), arithmetic shifts (preserving sign bits for signed integers during right shifts), and rotation operations (circular shifts where bits leaving one end enter the opposite end). Left shift by n positions inserts n zero bits at the right, effectively multiplying by 2^n. Logical right shift inserts zeros at the left regardless of sign, while arithmetic right shift preserves the sign bit for negative two's complement numbers. Rotate operations maintain all bits, useful for cryptographic transformations and hash functions.

Visual representations display before and after binary patterns with color-coded highlighting showing moved bits and newly introduced zeros or rotated values. The tool accepts input in binary, decimal, or hexadecimal formats, displaying all three representations simultaneously with signed and unsigned interpretations. Common applications include bitmap manipulation, fast arithmetic in performance-critical code, implementing cryptographic algorithms, network protocol parsing, and embedded systems programming. Educational features explain how compilers optimize simpler operations into bit shifts and illustrate signed number representation consequences during arithmetic shifts.