Bitwise operators are often overlooked in the JavaScript ecosystem—viewed as obscure or only relevant in low-level programming. However, they are among the most powerful and efficient tools available right in the browser. Because they operate directly at the number level, bitwise operations are incredibly fast in JavaScript engines, making them ideal for a wide range of practical uses:

Collision masks in browser-based game engines

Interfacing with WebAssembly

Lightweight compression techniques

Real-time audio/video streaming

Clever hacks for text encoding and emoji maths