Strings behaving in abnormal manner

Hello Friends,
see the following code & output:
class Abcd
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
String s1="seed";
String s2="seed";
System.out.println(s1.hashCode()+" "+s2.hashCode());
System.out.println(s1==s2);
String s3=new String("SEED");
String s4=new String("SEED");
System.out.println(s3.hashCode()+" "+s4.hashCode());
System.out.println(s3==s4);
System.out.println("Hello World!");
}
}

output:
3526257 3526257
true
2541169 2541169
false

Hello World!

Press any key to continue...

Don't you think that line
System.out.println(s3==s4);
should print "true" but it is producing "false" even if the hashCode is same.

Any logic behind this?

Regards,
Shrinivas

You should compare Strings (and Objects in general) using 'equals', not using '=='. equals tests equality of the object values, while == tests equality of object references. Even for non-mutable, seemingly identical, objects like the ones in your example, the references may or may not be the same.

in other words, the behaviour is quite normal

Two distinct objects that are unequal (according to the Object.equals(Object) method) may produce the same hash codes (according to the Object.hashCode() method). In fact, unless construction is controlled (which best practices mandates anyway, but common practice ensure that it is prolific), it's impossible to enforce - all you need to do is construct 2^32 + 1 unequal instances and a hash code collision is guaranteed.

This may be all beside the point, since your question is unclear, in which case, ignore it.

Thanx Everybody,

One more fact is in String hashCode() is overridden & it do not represent memory address but hashCode depends on String Contents.string (2 different objects ) can have same hashcode provided that their contents are same.

Shrinivas

One more fact is in String hashCode() is overridden & it do not represent memory address but hashCode depends on String Contents.string (2 different objects ) can have same hashcode provided that their contents are same.

Indeed. Objects that are equal *should* generate the same hash code.

Originally posted by Shrinivas Mujumdar:
string (2 different objects ) can have same hashcode provided that their contents are same.

They *must* have the same hashcode if they are equals, and they *may* have the same if they are not equal.

They *must* have the same hashcode if they are equals

Per the contract, absolutely. There was no reason for me to shy away from the stronger term.