In Java, operators are special symbols that perform specific operations on one, two, or three operands and return a result. They are essential for executing various tasks within a program, such as arithmetic calculations, comparisons, and logical operations. Operators can be categorized into several types, including arithmetic, relational, and logical operators.

Arithmetic operators include addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), division (/), and modulus (%). These operators are used to perform mathematical calculations on numeric data types like int, float, and double. Relational operators, on the other hand, are used to compare two values and return a boolean result (true or false). Examples include greater than (>), less than (<), and equal to (==) ¹².

Additionally, operators have a defined precedence, which determines the order in which they are evaluated in expressions. Higher precedence operators are evaluated before those with lower precedence, and operators of equal precedence are evaluated based on their associativity rules ³.

If you have more specific questions about Java operators or their usage, feel free to ask!