Understanding the Difference Between "==" and ".equals()" in Java for Object Comparison

When comparing objects in Java, it is crucial to differentiate between the "==" operator and the ".equals()" method. The focus keyword for this topic is Java object comparison.

Using "=="

The "==" operator is used for reference comparison on objects in Java. It checks if two object references point to the same memory location in the heap. If the references are pointing to the same object, the result will be true; otherwise, it will be false.

Using ".equals()"

The ".equals()" method is a method available in the Object class, which can be overridden by subclasses to provide custom comparison logic. By default, it behaves the same as "==" and performs reference comparison. However, many classes override this method to compare the actual content of objects for equality.

It is essential to remember that for most Java objects, comparing them using "==" will check if they reference the same object, while using ".equals()" will compare their content based on the overridden implementation.

Therefore, when comparing objects in Java, it is recommended to use ".equals()" for content comparison and "==" for reference comparison.