The XOR operator is represented by the ^ (hat) character in Python. The XOR operator outputs a 1 only if both the input bits are different. If both input bits are the same, the result is 0.
Below is an XOR operation between 10 and 12. The result of the operation is 6.
The figure below shows how this takes place. As seen, the second last, and third last positions have different bits. Hence the resulting bits have those positions set to 1. The last and fourth last position have the same bits set, which result in the positions being set to 0.
If the two numbers are the same, XOR will cancel out all the bits with each other and the result will be 0.
