Help understanding the quaternion group of order $8$ From Wikipedia:

In group theory, the quaternion group $Q_8$ (sometimes just denoted by $Q$) is a non-abelian group of order eight, isomorphic to a certain eight-element subset of the quaternions under multiplication.

There are many representation of $Q_8$, in one dimension, in two dimension etc. 

Question : How can I understand this group? Please explain simply. I have read its definition on Wikipedia but I did not get more than that it is non-abelian group of order eight. I am looking for simplest representation of it. What is the underlying operation? How many elements of order two, four, eight are there?

$$\begin{array}{cccc}
 1 = \left(\!\!\begin{array}{rr}1 & 0\\0&1\end{array}\!\!\right),&
 x = \left(\!\!\begin{array}{rr}0 & 1\\-1 & 0\end{array}\!\!\right),&
 x^2 = \left(\!\!\begin{array}{rr}-1 & 0\\0 & -1\end{array}\!\!\right),&
 x^3 = \left(\!\!\begin{array}{rr}0 & -1\\1 & 0\end{array}\!\!\right),\\
\\
 y = \left(\!\!\begin{array}{rr}i & 0\\0 & -i\end{array}\!\!\right),&
 xy = \left(\!\!\begin{array}{rr}0 & -i\\-i & 0\end{array}\!\!\right),&
 x^2y = \left(\!\!\begin{array}{rr}-i & 0\\0 & i\end{array}\!\!\right),&
 x^3y = \left(\!\!\begin{array}{rr}0 & i\\i & 0\end{array}\!\!\right).
\end{array}$$
