bn

What is bn?

The 'bn' npm package is a library for arbitrary-precision arithmetic in JavaScript. It is primarily used for handling large integers and performing mathematical operations on them, which are beyond the safe integer range of JavaScript's native number type.

What are bn's main functionalities?

Arbitrary-Precision Arithmetic

This feature allows you to perform arithmetic operations on large integers that exceed JavaScript's native number limits. The code sample demonstrates creating two large numbers and adding them together using the 'bn' package.

const BN = require('bn.js');
const a = new BN('123456789012345678901234567890');
const b = new BN('987654321098765432109876543210');
const sum = a.add(b);
console.log(sum.toString()); // '1111111110111111111011111111100'

Modular Arithmetic

This feature allows you to perform modular arithmetic operations, which are useful in cryptography and number theory. The code sample shows how to compute the modulus of two large numbers.

const BN = require('bn.js');
const a = new BN('123456789012345678901234567890');
const b = new BN('987654321098765432109876543210');
const mod = a.mod(b);
console.log(mod.toString()); // '123456789012345678901234567890'

Bitwise Operations

The 'bn' package supports bitwise operations on large integers. The code sample demonstrates a left bitwise shift operation on a large number.

const BN = require('bn.js');
const a = new BN('123456789012345678901234567890');
const shifted = a.ushln(2);
console.log(shifted.toString()); // '493827156049382715604938271560'

Other packages similar to bn

big-integer

The 'big-integer' package provides similar functionality for handling large integers in JavaScript. It offers a simpler API and is often used for basic arithmetic operations. However, 'bn' is more optimized for performance and is widely used in cryptographic applications.

decimal.js

The 'decimal.js' package is designed for arbitrary-precision decimal arithmetic. While it can handle large numbers like 'bn', it is more focused on decimal operations rather than integer arithmetic, making it suitable for financial calculations.

bignumber.js

The 'bignumber.js' package provides arbitrary-precision arithmetic for both integers and decimals. It is similar to 'bn' in handling large numbers but offers more flexibility with decimal operations, making it a versatile choice for various applications.

README

bn

JS Bigint Import