What is the difference between == and equals() in

Question

I wanted to clarify if I understand this correctly:

• == -> is a reference comparison, i.e. both objects point to the same memory location
• .equals() -> evaluates to the comparison of values in the objects

Am I correct in my understanding ?

Answer 1

In general, the answer to your question is "yes", but...

• .equals(...) will only compare what it is written to compare, no more, no less.
• If a class does not override the equals method, then it defaults to the equals(Object o) method of the closest parent class that has overridden this method.
• If no parent classes have provided an override, then it defaults to the method from the ultimate parent class, Object, and so you're left with the Object#equals(Object o) method. Per the Object API this is the same as ==; that is, it returns true if and only if both variables refer to the same object, if their references are one and the same. Thus you will be testing for object equality and not functional equality.
• Always remember to override hashCode if you override equals so as not to "break the contract". As per the API, the result returned from the hashCode() method for two objects must be the same if their equals methods show that they are equivalent. The converse is not necessarily true.

Answer 2

Both == and .equals() refers to the same object if you don't override .equals().

Its your wish what you want to do once you override .equals(). You can compare the invoking object's state with the passed in object's state or you can just call super.equals()

Answer 3

== is an operator and equals() is a method.

Operators are generally used for primitive type comparisons and thus == is used for memory address comparison and equals() method is used for comparing objects.

Answer 4

public class StringPool {

public static void main(String[] args) {

    String s1 = "Cat";// will create reference in string pool of heap memory
    String s2 = "Cat";
    String s3 = new String("Cat");//will create a object in heap memory

    // Using == will give us true because same reference in string pool

    if (s1 == s2) {
        System.out.println("true");
    } else {
        System.out.println("false");
    }

    // Using == with reference and Object will give us False

    if (s1 == s3) {
        System.out.println("true");
    } else {
        System.out.println("false");
    }

    // Using .equals method which refers to value

    if (s1.equals(s3)) {
        System.out.println("true");
    } else {
        System.out.println("False");
    }

    }
  }

----Output----- true false true

Answer 5

The major difference between == and equals() is

1) == is used to compare primitives.

For example :

        String string1 = "Ravi";
        String string2 = "Ravi";
        String string3 = new String("Ravi");
        String string4 = new String("Prakash");

        System.out.println(string1 == string2); // true because same reference in string pool
        System.out.println(string1 == string3); // false

2) equals() is used to compare objects. For example :

        System.out.println(string1.equals(string2)); // true equals() comparison of values in the objects
        System.out.println(string1.equals(string3)); // true
        System.out.println(string1.equals(string4)); // false

Answer 6

== operator always reference is compared. But in case of

equals() method

it's depends's on implementation if we are overridden equals method than it compares object on basic of implementation given in overridden method.

 class A
 {
   int id;
   String str;

     public A(int id,String str)
     {
       this.id=id;
       this.str=str;
     }

    public static void main(String arg[])
    {
      A obj=new A(101,"sam");
      A obj1=new A(101,"sam");

      obj.equals(obj1)//fasle
      obj==obj1 // fasle
    }
 }

in above code both obj and obj1 object contains same data but reference is not same so equals return false and == also. but if we overridden equals method than

 class A
 {
   int id;
   String str;

     public A(int id,String str)
     {
       this.id=id;
       this.str=str;
     }
    public boolean equals(Object obj)
    {
       A a1=(A)obj;
      return this.id==a1.id;
    }

    public static void main(String arg[])
    {
      A obj=new A(101,"sam");
      A obj1=new A(101,"sam");

      obj.equals(obj1)//true
      obj==obj1 // fasle
    }
 }

know check out it will return true and false for same case only we overridden

equals method .

it compare object on basic of content(id) of object

but ==

still compare references of object.