Diff between equals() and ==

[Nikhil Bansal]

Hi All,

Can somebody explain me the difference between equals() and == when comparing object references.

Regards

Nikhil Bansal

[Srinivasa Raghavan]

equals() method can be considered to compare values of an object , but == is used to compare just the reference and not the object being refrerred

String a =[B] new [/B]String("java");
String b =[B] new [/B]String("java");

a.equals(b) is true since both has the same value
but a == b is not. Because these two are seperate instances.
[ March 21, 2006: Message edited by: Srinivasa Raghavan ]

[Valentin Jacquemin]

equals() is a method inherited from Object and can be override
For example in the class String the method equals compare the content of two strings

== compare the value of two references (for objects), well the comparison is on the address that refer on the object

I hope that this will help you

[Nikhil Bansal]

Thanks Valentin and Srinivasa.

Best Regards


Nikhil

[Sandeep Vaid]

I hope they have cleared you doubt. Just to add a complexity to this.

Sometimes it may happen that both references are pointing(referencing) to the same location and hence both == and equals() returns true.

  String s1 = "Java";
  String s2 = "Java";
 
  if(s1==s2)
   System.out.println(" == returns true");
 
  if(s1.equals(s2))
   System.out.println(" equals() returns true");
 
Ans : 
        == returns true
        equals() returns true
 
   NOTE : Hope you know the funda of String Pool
 

 

[Nikhil Bansal]

Yes Sandip,

I just read the concept of String Pooling.

Thanks

Nikhil

[Valentin Jacquemin]

Do you know that it's possible that the two tests return true for Integer?

 
Integer i1 = new Integer(8);
Integer i2 = new Integer(8);
 
if(i1 == i2)
 System.out.println(" == return true");
if(i1.equals(i2))
 System.out.println(" equals() return true");

This is true for number between -128 and 127 I belive
[ March 23, 2006: Message edited by: Valentin Jacquemin ]

[Shaliey Gowtham]

Hi Valentin,
I think you might be wrong.
Only the autoboxed Wrapper Objects for
Boolean(true,false),
Byte,
Character('\u0000' -> '\u--7f',
Short( -128 -> 127)
Integer( -128 -> 127)
Long( -128 -> 127)
are pooled.
However the Float and Double are not pooled.

But when you create Objects using the new() then
they are never pooled as the same as Strings.

[sri latha]

Integer i1 = new Integer(8);
Integer i2 = new Integer(8);
if(i1 == i2)
    System.out.println(" == return true");
if(i1.equals(i2))
    System.out.println(" equals() return true");       

Hi Valentin Jacquemin
when i execute the above code the equals method returns true.which situations can the above code returns true in both == and eqauls method.can u explain it.

[fixed code formatting - Jim]
[ March 23, 2006: Message edited by: Jim Yingst ]

[ashok ch]

Hi,

I executed Valentin Jacquemin's code .

"==" returns false and equals() method returns true;

"==" always compares the references and here i1 and i2 are two different references so the result is "false"

By default, equals() method also compares the references not the state of the objects.But if the equals() method is overriden in the compared classes then the method compares the states of the objects. Integer class has the equals() method overridden in it.That's why the equals() method in this case compares the states of the i1 and i2, which is same, So the result is "true".


I hope it clears..

Thanks
Ashok

[Valentin Jacquemin]

Ok sorry...

I didn't test yet but in the K&B book it said that I said above... I'll read one more time this evening

Sorry

[rajeshwar Rao]

which situations can the above code returns true in both == and eqauls method.can u explain it.

I think the below code might solve your question. Because whenever you create an object with new it is created with new reference. Hence i1 == i2 fails

public class Test {
public static void main (String args [])
{
Integer i1 = new Integer(8);
Integer i2 = i1;
if(i1 == i2)
{
System.out.println(" == return true");
}
if(i1.equals(i2))
{
System.out.println(" equals() return true");
}
}
}

Please correct me if i am wrong

[gaurav singhal]

As said by shailley
But when you create Objects using the new() then
they are never pooled as the same as Strings.

But when we use new keyword, Java will create a new String object
in normal (non-pool) memory, and s will refer to it. In addition, the string literal will be placed in the pool.

I guess that is same for Integer also. Plz correct me if I am wrong

[Valentin Jacquemin]

K&B book on page 236:

Integer i3 = 10;
Integer i4 = 10;
if(i3 == i4) System.out.println("same object");
if(i3.equals(i4)) System.out.println("meaningfully equal");

Output:

same object
meaningfully equal

So it was for the autoboxed wrapper object.

Sorry and thanks to Shaliey G

[ March 24, 2006: Message edited by: Valentin Jacquemin ]
[ March 24, 2006: Message edited by: Valentin Jacquemin ]