This page is a placeholder. All examples on this page are currently AI-generated and are not correct. This documentation will be completed in the future with accurate, tested examples.
Overview
Opcode: 0x17
Introduced: Frontier (EVM genesis)
OR performs bitwise OR on two 256-bit unsigned integers. Each bit in the result is 1 if either (or both) corresponding bits in the operands are 1. This operation is fundamental for combining flags, setting specific bits, and data packing.
Primary uses: enabling multiple flags, setting bits in bitmaps, combining packed data fields.
Specification
Stack Input:
Stack Output:
Gas Cost: 3 (GasFastestStep)
Truth Table (per bit):
a | b | a | b
--|---|------
0 | 0 | 0
0 | 1 | 1
1 | 0 | 1
1 | 1 | 1
Behavior
OR pops two values from the stack, performs bitwise OR on each corresponding bit pair, and pushes the result. The operation is:
- Commutative: a | b = b | a
- Associative: (a | b) | c = a | (b | c)
- Identity element: a | 0 = a
- Null element: a | MAX_UINT256 = MAX_UINT256
Examples
Set Multiple Flags
import { or } from '@tevm/voltaire/evm/bitwise';
import { createFrame } from '@tevm/voltaire/evm/Frame';
// Enable flags at bits 0 and 2
const existing = 0b0000n;
const flags = 0b0101n; // Bits 0 and 2
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [existing, flags] });
const err = or(frame);
console.log(frame.stack[0].toString(2)); // '101' (0b0101)
Combine Two Bitmaps
// Merge two permission sets
const userPerms = 0b00001111n; // Permissions 0-3
const groupPerms = 0b11110000n; // Permissions 4-7
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [userPerms, groupPerms] });
or(frame);
console.log(frame.stack[0].toString(2)); // '11111111'
Pack Data Fields
// Pack address (160 bits) + flags (96 bits) into uint256
const address = 0xdeadbeefcafe1234567890abcdef1234567890ABn;
const flags = 0x123456789ABCn << 160n; // Shift flags to upper bits
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [address, flags] });
or(frame);
// Result: lower 160 bits = address, upper 96 bits = flags
console.log(frame.stack[0].toString(16));
Set Specific Bit
// Set bit 5 in existing value
const value = 0b00001000n; // Bit 3 is set
const setBit5 = 0b00100000n; // Bit 5 mask
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [value, setBit5] });
or(frame);
console.log(frame.stack[0].toString(2)); // '101000' (bits 3 and 5)
Commutative Property
// a | b = b | a
const a = 0b1100n;
const b = 0b1010n;
const frame1 = createFrame({ stack: [a, b] });
or(frame1);
const frame2 = createFrame({ stack: [b, a] });
or(frame2);
console.log(frame1.stack[0] === frame2.stack[0]); // true (both 0b1110)
Gas Cost
Cost: 3 gas (GasFastestStep)
OR shares the lowest gas tier with:
- AND (0x16), XOR (0x18), NOT (0x19)
- BYTE (0x1a)
- SHL (0x1b), SHR (0x1c), SAR (0x1d)
- ADD (0x01), SUB (0x03)
- Comparison operations
Edge Cases
Identity Element
// OR with zero
const value = 0x123456n;
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [value, 0n] });
or(frame);
console.log(frame.stack[0] === value); // true (identity)
Null Element
// OR with all ones
const MAX = (1n << 256n) - 1n;
const value = 0x123456n;
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [value, MAX] });
or(frame);
console.log(frame.stack[0] === MAX); // true
Self OR
// a | a = a (idempotent)
const value = 0x123456n;
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [value, value] });
or(frame);
console.log(frame.stack[0] === value); // true
Alternating Bits
// Complementary patterns OR to all ones
const pattern1 = 0xAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAn;
const pattern2 = 0x5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555n;
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [pattern1, pattern2] });
or(frame);
const MAX = (1n << 256n) - 1n;
console.log(frame.stack[0] === MAX); // true (all bits set)
Stack Underflow
// Insufficient stack items
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [0x123n] });
const err = or(frame);
console.log(err); // { type: "StackUnderflow" }
Out of Gas
// Insufficient gas
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [0x123n, 0x456n], gasRemaining: 2n });
const err = or(frame);
console.log(err); // { type: "OutOfGas" }
console.log(frame.gasRemaining); // 0n
Common Usage
Enable Multiple Permissions
// Grant READ and WRITE permissions
uint256 constant READ = 1 << 0;
uint256 constant WRITE = 1 << 1;
uint256 constant EXECUTE = 1 << 2;
function grantPermissions(uint256 current) pure returns (uint256) {
return current | READ | WRITE; // Enable both flags
}
Set Bits in Bitmap
// Mark slots as occupied in storage bitmap
mapping(uint256 => uint256) public bitmap;
function markOccupied(uint256 index) internal {
uint256 bucket = index / 256;
uint256 bit = index % 256;
bitmap[bucket] |= (1 << bit); // Set bit
}
Pack Multiple Values
// Pack timestamp (40 bits) + amount (216 bits)
function pack(uint40 timestamp, uint216 amount) pure returns (uint256) {
return (uint256(timestamp) << 216) | uint256(amount);
}
Combine Selectors
// Create function selector mask for multiple functions
bytes4 constant FUNC_A = 0x12345678;
bytes4 constant FUNC_B = 0x9ABCDEF0;
function getSelectorMask() pure returns (uint256) {
return (uint256(uint32(FUNC_A)) << 224) |
(uint256(uint32(FUNC_B)) << 192);
}
Set Color Channels
// Combine RGB channels into packed uint24 (0xRRGGBB)
function packRGB(uint8 r, uint8 g, uint8 b) pure returns (uint24) {
return uint24(r) << 16 | uint24(g) << 8 | uint24(b);
}
Implementation
/**
* OR opcode (0x17) - Bitwise OR operation
*/
export function op_or(frame: FrameType): EvmError | null {
// Consume gas (GasFastestStep = 3)
frame.gasRemaining -= 3n;
if (frame.gasRemaining < 0n) {
frame.gasRemaining = 0n;
return { type: "OutOfGas" };
}
// Pop operands
if (frame.stack.length < 2) return { type: "StackUnderflow" };
const a = frame.stack.pop();
const b = frame.stack.pop();
// Compute bitwise OR
const result = a | b;
// Push result
if (frame.stack.length >= 1024) return { type: "StackOverflow" };
frame.stack.push(result);
// Increment PC
frame.pc += 1;
return null;
}
Testing
Test Coverage
import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
import { op_or } from './or.js';
describe('OR (0x17)', () => {
it('performs basic OR', () => {
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [0b1100n, 0b1010n] });
expect(op_or(frame)).toBeNull();
expect(frame.stack[0]).toBe(0b1110n);
});
it('combines flags', () => {
const flag1 = 0b0001n;
const flag2 = 0b0100n;
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [flag1, flag2] });
expect(op_or(frame)).toBeNull();
expect(frame.stack[0]).toBe(0b0101n);
});
it('handles identity (OR with zero)', () => {
const value = 0x123456n;
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [value, 0n] });
expect(op_or(frame)).toBeNull();
expect(frame.stack[0]).toBe(value);
});
it('handles null element (OR with MAX)', () => {
const MAX = (1n << 256n) - 1n;
const value = 0x123456n;
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [value, MAX] });
expect(op_or(frame)).toBeNull();
expect(frame.stack[0]).toBe(MAX);
});
it('is idempotent (a | a = a)', () => {
const value = 0x123456n;
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [value, value] });
expect(op_or(frame)).toBeNull();
expect(frame.stack[0]).toBe(value);
});
it('is commutative', () => {
const a = 0xAAAAn;
const b = 0x5555n;
const frame1 = createFrame({ stack: [a, b] });
const frame2 = createFrame({ stack: [b, a] });
op_or(frame1);
op_or(frame2);
expect(frame1.stack[0]).toBe(frame2.stack[0]);
});
it('returns StackUnderflow with insufficient stack', () => {
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [0x123n] });
expect(op_or(frame)).toEqual({ type: 'StackUnderflow' });
});
it('returns OutOfGas when insufficient gas', () => {
const frame = createFrame({ stack: [0x123n, 0x456n], gasRemaining: 2n });
expect(op_or(frame)).toEqual({ type: 'OutOfGas' });
});
});
Edge Cases Tested
- Basic OR operations (truth table)
- Identity element (OR with 0)
- Null element (OR with MAX_UINT256)
- Flag combining
- Idempotent property (a | a = a)
- Commutative property
- Complementary patterns (0xAAAA… | 0x5555… = MAX)
- Stack underflow
- Out of gas
Security
Flag Mismanagement
// WRONG: Using AND instead of OR to set flags
function addPermission(uint256 perms, uint256 flag) pure returns (uint256) {
return perms & flag; // Removes all other flags!
}
// CORRECT: Use OR to preserve existing flags
function addPermission(uint256 perms, uint256 flag) pure returns (uint256) {
return perms | flag;
}
Overlapping Bit Positions
// DANGEROUS: Flag definitions overlap
uint256 constant FLAG_A = 1 << 0; // Bit 0
uint256 constant FLAG_B = 1 << 0; // Also bit 0! (collision)
// SAFE: Unique bit positions
uint256 constant FLAG_A = 1 << 0; // Bit 0
uint256 constant FLAG_B = 1 << 1; // Bit 1
uint256 constant FLAG_C = 1 << 2; // Bit 2
Unintended Side Effects
// DANGEROUS: OR can never clear bits, only set them
function updateFlags(uint256 current, uint256 desired) pure returns (uint256) {
return current | desired; // Can't remove flags!
}
// BETTER: Explicit set/clear interface
function setFlags(uint256 current, uint256 flags) pure returns (uint256) {
return current | flags;
}
function clearFlags(uint256 current, uint256 flags) pure returns (uint256) {
return current & ~flags;
}
Packed Data Corruption
// VULNERABLE: OR can corrupt existing packed fields
struct Packed {
uint160 addr; // Bits 0-159
uint96 value; // Bits 160-255
}
// Wrong: OR overwrites existing address
function updateValue(uint256 packed, uint96 newValue) pure returns (uint256) {
return packed | (uint256(newValue) << 160); // Address corrupted if newValue has lower bits!
}
// Correct: Clear field first, then OR
function updateValue(uint256 packed, uint96 newValue) pure returns (uint256) {
uint256 addrMask = (1 << 160) - 1;
uint256 addr = packed & addrMask; // Extract address
return addr | (uint256(newValue) << 160); // Recombine
}
Benchmarks
OR is one of the fastest EVM operations:
Execution time (relative):
- OR: 1.0x (baseline, fastest tier)
- AND/XOR: 1.0x (same tier)
- ADD: 1.0x (same tier)
- MUL: 1.2x
- DIV: 2.5x
Gas efficiency:
- 3 gas per 256-bit OR operation
- ~333,333 OR operations per million gas
- Native hardware instruction on all platforms
References