what is raycast in unity code example

Example 1: raycast unity

RaycastHit hit;
        // Does the ray intersect any objects excluding the player layer
        if (Physics.Raycast(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward), out hit, Mathf.Infinity, layerMask))
        {
            Debug.DrawRay(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward) * hit.distance, Color.yellow);
            Debug.Log("Hit");
        }
        else
        {
            Debug.DrawRay(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward) * 1000, Color.white);
            Debug.Log("No Hit");
        }

Example 2: raycasting in unity

RaycastHit hit;
        // Does the ray intersect any objects excluding the player layer
        if (Physics.Raycast(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward), out hit, Mathf.Infinity, layerMask))
        {
            Debug.DrawRay(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward) * hit.distance, Color.yellow);
            Debug.Log("Did Hit");
        }

Example 3: unity3d raycast

using UnityEngine;

// C# example.

public class ExampleClass : MonoBehaviour
{
    void Update()
    {
        // Bit shift the index of the layer (8) to get a bit mask
        int layerMask = 1 << 8;

        // This would cast rays only against colliders in layer 8.
        // But instead we want to collide against everything except layer 8. The ~ operator does this, it inverts a bitmask.
        layerMask = ~layerMask;

        RaycastHit hit;
        // Does the ray intersect any objects excluding the player layer
        if (Physics.Raycast(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward), out hit, Mathf.Infinity, layerMask))
        {
            Debug.DrawRay(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward) * hit.distance, Color.yellow);
            Debug.Log("Did Hit");
        }
        else
        {
            Debug.DrawRay(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward) * 1000, Color.white);
            Debug.Log("Did not Hit");
        }
    }
}

Example 4: unity 3d raycast

using UnityEngine;// C# example.public class ExampleClass : MonoBehaviour
{
    // See Order of Execution for Event Functions for information on FixedUpdate() and Update() related to physics queries
    void FixedUpdate()
    {
        // Bit shift the index of the layer (8) to get a bit mask
        int layerMask = 1 << 8;        // This would cast rays only against colliders in layer 8.
        // But instead we want to collide against everything except layer 8. The ~ operator does this, it inverts a bitmask.
        layerMask = ~layerMask;        RaycastHit hit;
        // Does the ray intersect any objects excluding the player layer
        if (Physics.Raycast(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward), out hit, Mathf.Infinity, layerMask))
        {
            Debug.DrawRay(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward) * hit.distance, Color.yellow);
            Debug.Log("Did Hit");
        }
        else
        {
            Debug.DrawRay(transform.position, transform.TransformDirection(Vector3.forward) * 1000, Color.white);
            Debug.Log("Did not Hit");
        }
    }
}