Differences between the various equal operators in Elixir

Equality operator

In Elixir, there are three types of equality operators:

  1. =: This operator is used for pattern matching.
  2. ==: This operator compares if the LHS value equals the RHS value.
  3. ===: This operator checks whether both sides have the same data types and then compares if LHS value equals RHS value.

Operator

Name

Expression

Return

=

Match

1 = 1

1

==

Equal to

2 == 2.0

True

===

Strictly equal to

5 === 5.0

False

Inequality operator

There are two types of inequality operators:

  1. !=: This operator is used to compare if the LHS value does not equal the RHS value.

  2. !==: ​​This operator checks if both data types are not the same and then compares if the LHS value does not equal the RHS value.

Operator

Name

Expression

Return

!=

Unequal to

2 != 3

True

!==

Strictly unequal to

2 !== 3

True

Example

Let’s look at the example below:

# = Operartor
IO.puts "= Operator: Pattern Matching: 1 = 1"
#IO.puts "Pattern Matching:"
IO.puts 1 = 1 
IO.puts "\n"
# == Operator
IO.puts "== Operator"
IO.puts "Same value and same data type: 2 == 2"
IO.puts 2 == 2
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Same value and different data type: 2 == 2.0"
IO.puts 2 == 2.0
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Differnet value and same data type: 2 == 3"
IO.puts 2 == 3
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Differnet value and differnet data type: 2 == 3.0"
IO.puts 2 == 3.0
IO.puts "\n"
# === Operator
IO.puts "=== Operator"
IO.puts "Same value and same data type: 2 === 2"
IO.puts 2 === 2
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Same value and different data type: 2 === 2.0"
IO.puts 2 === 2.0
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Differnet value and same data type: 2 === 3"
IO.puts 2 === 3
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Differnet value and differnet data type: 2 === 3.0"
IO.puts 2 === 3.0
IO.puts "\n"
# != Operator
IO.puts "!= Operator"
IO.puts "Same value and different data type: 1 != 1.0"
IO.puts 1 != 1.0
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Same value and same data type: 1 != 1"
IO.puts 1 != 1
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Different value and same data type: 1 != 2"
IO.puts 1 != 2
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Different value and different data type: 1 != 2.0"
IO.puts 1 != 2.0
IO.puts "\n"
# !== Operator
IO.puts "!== Operator"
IO.puts "Same value and different data type: 1 !== 1.0"
IO.puts 1 !== 1.0
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Same value and same data type: 1 !== 1"
IO.puts 1 !== 1
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Different value and same data type: 1 !== 2"
IO.puts 1 !== 2
IO.puts "\n"
IO.puts "Different value and different data type: 1 !== 2.0"
IO.puts 1 !== 2.0
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