Unleashing the Power of BigInt: Exploring Large Integer Arithmetic in JavaScript

The blog "BigInt in JavaScript" on GeeksforGeeks explains the concept and usage of BigInt in JavaScript programming language.

In JavaScript, numbers are represented by a 64-bit double-precision floating-point format which can represent numbers between -(2^53 -1) and (2^53 -1). However, there are cases when this range is not enough, such as when dealing with large integers in cryptography, scientific computing, or financial calculations. To address this issue, ECMAScript 2020 introduced a new primitive data type called BigInt, which allows developers to work with integers of arbitrary size.

The blog explains the syntax of BigInt in JavaScript, which involves adding 'n' at the end of the integer literal or by calling the BigInt() function. For example, 12345678901234567890n is a valid BigInt literal in JavaScript. The blog also explains how BigInt values can be assigned to variables and how arithmetic operations can be performed on BigInt values.

One important thing to note is that BigInt values cannot be mixed with regular number values. If a BigInt value is combined with a regular number value in an arithmetic operation, a TypeError will be thrown. The blog provides an example to demonstrate this behavior.

The blog also explains how to convert BigInt values to regular number values using the Number() function or the + operator. However, it's important to note that if the BigInt value is too large to fit into a regular number, the result will be Infinity.

The blog further discusses the limitations of BigInt in JavaScript, such as the inability to use BigInt values with some built-in functions like Math.sqrt() or to use them as keys in objects or indices in arrays. The blog also notes that BigInt values cannot be used in bitwise operations.

To summarize, BigInt is a new primitive data type introduced in ECMAScript 2020 that allows developers to work with integers of arbitrary size in JavaScript. The blog explains the syntax of BigInt in JavaScript, how to perform arithmetic operations on BigInt values, and how to convert BigInt values to regular number values. The blog also discusses the limitations of BigInt in JavaScript, such as the inability to use them with some built-in functions or in bitwise operations. Overall, BigInt is a useful addition to JavaScript that allows developers to work with larger integers in their applications.

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