• dmad
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      xor has the property x ^ x = 0, and x ^ 0 = x. So, x ^ x ^ y = y

      a' = a ^ b
      b' = b ^ a' = b ^ (a ^ b) = a
      a'' = (a ^ b) ^ a = b
      

      This is pretty clever, I’ve never seen this for a swap.

      • ActuallyRuben@actuallyruben.nl
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        Couldn’t have explained it better myself. I don’t remember where exactly I first read about this trick, but it’s mainly useful in C or Assembly, as you don’t have to resort to using a third variable/register.