How do you use a vertical bar?

The vertical bar, also known as a pipe symbol (|), is used in various contexts:

1. In computer programming, it is used as a logical OR operator to represent a choice between two conditions. For example, "if condition A | condition B" means that the code will execute if either condition A or condition B is true.

2. In mathematics, it is used to denote absolute value. For instance, |x| represents the absolute value of x.

3. In regular expressions, it is used to separate alternatives. For example, the pattern "cat|dog" matches either "cat" or "dog".

4. In typography, it can be used to indicate a line break or a division between columns of text.

5. In Unix-like operating systems, it is used to redirect the output of one command to the input of another command. For example, "command1 | command2" means that the output of command1 is passed as input to command2.

Overall, the usage of the vertical bar depends on the specific context in which it is being used.