Identity Operator for Dummies

Hey there! Let's talk about the term "Identity Operator." Don't worry, I'll break it down in a way that's easy to understand, so just hang in there!

So, imagine you have two objects, let's call them A and B. Now, Identity Operator comes into play when you want to check if these two objects are exactly the same or identical in terms of their value and data type.

But what's an operator, you ask? Well, in programming, an operator is like a command that helps us perform some task or operation. It's like a special symbol, such as the plus sign (+) or the equal sign (=), that we use to do things with our objects or variables.

Now, coming back to Identity Operator, we have two types of operators that fall under this category. The first one is the "strict identity operator" represented by three equal signs (===), and the second one is the "strict inequality operator" represented by three unequal signs (!==).

Wait a minute, what's a strict operator? Well, my dear student, a strict operator means that it not only compares the values of the objects, but it also checks whether they are of the same data type.

So, when we use the strict identity operator (===), we are checking if both the value and the data type of the two objects are exactly the same. If they are, the operator returns true, indicating that the objects are indeed identical. On the other hand, if the values or the data types are different, it will return false, as the objects are not identical.

Alright, but what about the strict inequality operator (!==)? Great question! The strict inequality operator works the opposite way. It checks if the value or the data type of the two objects are different. If they are not the same, the operator will return true, indicating that the objects are not identical. But if both the value and the data type are found to be the same, it will return false, as the objects are indeed identical.

So, to sum it up, the Identity Operator, whether it's the strict identity operator (===) or the strict inequality operator (!==), helps us determine if two objects are absolutely identical based on both their values and data types. It's like having a magnifying glass that gives us a clear view of all the tiny details of those objects!

I hope this explanation made it clearer and less complex for you! If you have any more questions or need further clarifications, feel free to ask. Remember, learning is a journey, and we're on this journey together!