diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0c067f3..5f983a3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## Pending
 
+ - [\#179](https://github.com/arkworks-rs/r1cs-std/pull/179) Add `min` and `max` operations for a small field elements
+
 ### Breaking changes
 
 ### Features
diff --git a/src/bit_bounded.rs b/src/bit_bounded.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c77779
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bit_bounded.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,275 @@
+use crate::alloc::{AllocVar, AllocationMode};
+use crate::boolean::Boolean;
+use crate::eq::EqGadget;
+use crate::fields::fp::FpVar;
+use crate::fields::FieldVar;
+use crate::GR1CSVar;
+use ark_ff::{BigInteger, PrimeField};
+use ark_relations::gr1cs::SynthesisError;
+
+/// Enforces that `value` is in the range [0, 2^BITS) (exclusive). This is done by
+/// introducing `BITS` new boolean variables and reconstructing the value from them.
+///
+/// Cost: `BITS` new variables and `BITS + 1` new R1Cs.
+pub fn enforce_bit_bound<F: PrimeField, const BITS: usize>(
+    value: &FpVar<F>,
+) -> Result<(), SynthesisError> {
+    assert_bits_fit::<F, BITS>();
+    let bit_decomposition = to_bits::<_, BITS>(value)?;
+    let reconstruction = Boolean::le_bits_to_fp(&bit_decomposition)?;
+    reconstruction.enforce_equal(value)
+}
+
+/// Given a field element, get its `N` least significant bits as a vector of `Boolean`s in the
+/// little-endian order.
+pub fn to_bits<F: PrimeField, const BITS: usize>(
+    value: &FpVar<F>,
+) -> Result<[Boolean<F>; BITS], SynthesisError> {
+    assert_bits_fit::<F, BITS>();
+    let mut bits = [Boolean::FALSE; BITS];
+    if !value.cs().is_in_setup_mode() {
+        for (i, bit) in bits.iter_mut().enumerate() {
+            *bit = Boolean::new_variable(
+                value.cs(),
+                || Ok(value.value()?.into_bigint().get_bit(i)),
+                result_allocation_mode(&value, &value),
+            )?;
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(bits)
+}
+
+/// Computes the minimum of two field elements `a` and `b`.
+///
+/// This is done using slack variables to ensure that the result is correct without directly
+/// comparing the two values.
+///
+/// # Requirements
+///
+/// 1. `a` and `b` MUST be in the range [0, 1 << `BITS`): this is ASSUMED, not enforced.
+/// 2. `BITS` must be strictly less than the floor of log2 of the field's modulus (to avoid overflow).
+pub fn min<F: PrimeField, const BITS: usize>(
+    a: &FpVar<F>,
+    b: &FpVar<F>,
+) -> Result<FpVar<F>, SynthesisError> {
+    assert_bits_fit_for_sum::<F, BITS>();
+    let (_, a_over_b) = get_slacks_constrained::<F, BITS>(a, b)?;
+    Ok(a - a_over_b)
+}
+
+/// Computes the maximum of two field elements `a` and `b`.
+///
+/// This is done using slack variables to ensure that the result is correct without directly
+/// comparing the two values.
+///
+/// # Requirements
+///
+/// 1. `a` and `b` MUST be in the range [0, 1 << `BITS`): this is ASSUMED, not enforced.
+/// 2. `BITS` must be strictly less than the floor of log2 of the field's modulus (to avoid overflow).
+pub fn max<F: PrimeField, const BITS: usize>(
+    a: &FpVar<F>,
+    b: &FpVar<F>,
+) -> Result<FpVar<F>, SynthesisError> {
+    assert_bits_fit_for_sum::<F, BITS>();
+    let (b_over_a, _) = get_slacks_constrained::<F, BITS>(a, b)?;
+    Ok(a + b_over_a)
+}
+
+fn assert_bits_fit<F: PrimeField, const BITS: usize>() {
+    assert!(
+        BITS < F::MODULUS_BIT_SIZE as usize,
+        "BITS must be less than the field's modulus bit size to avoid overflow"
+    );
+}
+
+fn assert_bits_fit_for_sum<F: PrimeField, const BITS: usize>() {
+    assert!(
+        BITS + 1 < F::MODULUS_BIT_SIZE as usize,
+        "BITS + 1 must be less than the field's modulus bit size to avoid overflow during addition"
+    );
+}
+
+/// Return a pair of slacks `(lt_slack, gt_slack)` such that:
+///  - `lt_slack` is the slack between `a` and `b` if `a < b`, otherwise zero.
+///  - `gt_slack` is the slack between `b` and `a` if `b < a`, otherwise zero.
+/// 
+/// The slacks are constrained to be within the range [0, 1 << BITS) and are mutually exclusive.
+fn get_slacks_constrained<F: PrimeField, const BITS: usize>(
+    a: &FpVar<F>,
+    b: &FpVar<F>,
+) -> Result<(FpVar<F>, FpVar<F>), SynthesisError> {
+    let lt_slack = get_slack(a, b)?;
+    let gt_slack = get_slack(b, a)?;
+
+    // (1) Ensure that `lt_slack` and `gt_slack` are within [0, 1 << BITS)
+    enforce_bit_bound::<_, BITS>(&lt_slack)?;
+    enforce_bit_bound::<_, BITS>(&gt_slack)?;
+
+    // (2) Ensure that `lt_slack` and `gt_slack` are mutually exclusive
+    lt_slack.mul_equals(&gt_slack, &FpVar::zero())?;
+
+    // (3) Check the balance condition
+    (a + &lt_slack).enforce_equal(&(b + &gt_slack))?;
+
+    Ok((lt_slack, gt_slack))
+}
+
+/// Return the difference between `to` and `from` if `from < to`, otherwise return zero.
+///
+/// Warning: the value is not constrained in any way!
+fn get_slack<F: PrimeField>(from: &FpVar<F>, to: &FpVar<F>) -> Result<FpVar<F>, SynthesisError> {
+    FpVar::new_variable(
+        from.cs().or(to.cs()),
+        || {
+            let (from, to) = (from.value()?, to.value()?);
+            if from < to {
+                Ok(to - from)
+            } else {
+                Ok(F::zero())
+            }
+        },
+        result_allocation_mode(&from, &to),
+    )
+}
+
+/// Determines the allocation mode for the result based on whether `a` and `b` are constants or not.
+fn result_allocation_mode<F: PrimeField>(a: &FpVar<F>, b: &FpVar<F>) -> AllocationMode {
+    match a.is_constant() && b.is_constant() {
+        true => AllocationMode::Constant,
+        false => AllocationMode::Witness,
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::fields::fp::FpVar;
+    use crate::test_utils::modes;
+    use crate::uint::PrimUInt;
+    use crate::{test_utils, GR1CSVar};
+    use ark_bls12_381::Fr;
+    use ark_ff::PrimeField;
+    use ark_relations::gr1cs::{ConstraintSystem, ConstraintSystemRef, SynthesisError};
+    use std::ops::RangeInclusive;
+
+    fn check_min_max<T: PrimUInt, F: PrimeField + From<T>, const BITS: usize>(
+        a: T,
+        b: T,
+        mode_a: AllocationMode,
+        mode_b: AllocationMode,
+    ) -> Result<(), SynthesisError> {
+        // 1) Prepare R1CS
+        let cs = ConstraintSystem::<F>::new_ref();
+
+        // 2) Allocate input variables
+        let a_var = FpVar::<F>::new_variable(cs.clone(), || Ok(F::from(a)), mode_a)?;
+        let b_var = FpVar::<F>::new_variable(cs.clone(), || Ok(F::from(b)), mode_b)?;
+
+        // 3) Run `min` gadget and check increase in constraints and variables
+        let min_result = run_and_check_cs_growth::<_, _, BITS>(cs.clone(), mode_a, mode_b, || {
+            min::<F, BITS>(&a_var, &b_var)
+        })?;
+
+        // 4) Validate the result both in R1CS and in native Rust
+        let expected_min = FpVar::new_constant(cs.clone(), F::from(a.min(b)))?;
+        min_result.enforce_equal(&expected_min)?;
+        assert_eq!(min_result.value(), expected_min.value());
+
+        // 5) Run `max` gadget and check increase in constraints and variables
+        let max_result = run_and_check_cs_growth::<_, _, BITS>(cs.clone(), mode_a, mode_b, || {
+            max::<F, BITS>(&a_var, &b_var)
+        })?;
+
+        // 6) Validate the result both in R1CS and in native Rust
+        let expected_max = FpVar::new_constant(cs.clone(), F::from(a.max(b)))?;
+        max_result.enforce_equal(&expected_max)?;
+        assert_eq!(max_result.value(), expected_max.value());
+
+        // 7) Ensure that the constraint system is satisfied
+        if !cs.is_none() && !cs.is_in_setup_mode() {
+            assert!(cs.is_satisfied().unwrap());
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn run_and_check_cs_growth<F: PrimeField, T, const BITS: usize>(
+        cs: ConstraintSystemRef<F>,
+        mode_a: AllocationMode,
+        mode_b: AllocationMode,
+        action: impl Fn() -> Result<T, SynthesisError>,
+    ) -> Result<T, SynthesisError> {
+        let n_constraints = cs.num_constraints();
+        let n_variables = cs.num_variables();
+
+        let result = action()?;
+
+        match (mode_a, mode_b) {
+            (AllocationMode::Constant, AllocationMode::Constant) => {},
+            _ => {
+                assert_eq!(cs.num_constraints(), n_constraints + 2 * BITS + 4);
+                assert_eq!(cs.num_variables(), n_variables + 2 * BITS + 2);
+            },
+        };
+
+        Ok(result)
+    }
+
+    fn run_exhaustive<T: PrimUInt, F: PrimeField + From<T>, const BITS: usize>(
+    ) -> Result<(), SynthesisError>
+    where
+        RangeInclusive<T>: Iterator<Item = T>,
+    {
+        for (mode_a, a) in test_utils::combination(T::min_value()..=T::max_value()) {
+            for (mode_b, b) in test_utils::combination(T::min_value()..=T::max_value()) {
+                check_min_max::<T, F, BITS>(a, b, mode_a, mode_b)?;
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn run_random<
+        T: PrimUInt,
+        F: PrimeField + From<T>,
+        const BITS: usize,
+        const ITERATIONS: usize,
+    >() -> Result<(), SynthesisError> {
+        let mut rng = ark_std::test_rng();
+
+        for _ in 0..ITERATIONS {
+            for mode_a in modes() {
+                let a = T::rand(&mut rng);
+                for mode_b in modes() {
+                    let b = T::rand(&mut rng);
+                    check_min_max::<T, F, BITS>(a, b, mode_a, mode_b)?;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn u8() {
+        run_exhaustive::<u8, Fr, 8>().unwrap()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn u16() {
+        run_random::<u16, Fr, 16, 1000>().unwrap()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn u32() {
+        run_random::<u16, Fr, 16, 1000>().unwrap()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn u64() {
+        run_random::<u16, Fr, 16, 1000>().unwrap()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn u128() {
+        run_random::<u16, Fr, 16, 1000>().unwrap()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index fee27c3..5b6089a 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ pub mod poly;
 /// list of variables.
 pub mod select;
 
+/// Utilities for field elements with values bounded by a fixed number of bits.
+pub mod bit_bounded;
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 pub(crate) mod test_utils;