Digital comparator

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A digital comparator is a hardware electronic device that compares two numbers in binary form and generates a one or a zero at its output depending on whether they are the same or not.

Comparators can be used in a central processing unit (CPU) or microcontroller in branching software. A comparator can be simulated by subtracting the two values (A & B) in question and checking if the result is zero. This works because if A = B then A - B = 0.

The analog equivalent is the comparator. Many microcontrollers have analog comparators on some of their inputs that can be read or trigger an interrupt.