What is the difference between “==” and “equals” in Java?

In Java, both “==” and “equals” are methods used to compare objects, but they have different ways of comparison and usage.

“The ‘==’ operator is used to compare whether the references of two objects are equal, that is, it compares if the memory addresses of the objects are the same. When the references of two objects point to the same memory address, the ‘==’ operator returns true, otherwise, it returns false.”

The “equals” method is used to compare whether the contents of two objects are equal. It is a method that can be overridden, and the default implementation in the Object class is to behave the same as the “==” operator, comparing the memory addresses of the objects. However, we usually override the “equals” method based on our own logic, comparing the values of the objects’ attributes.

For example, let’s say we have a class called Person with a property named name. When comparing two Person objects using the “==” operator, their reference addresses must be the same in order to return true. However, if we override the equals method in the Person class and use this method to compare two Person objects, it will return true as long as their name properties are equal.

In conclusion, “==” is used to compare object reference addresses, while “equals” is used to compare object contents. In actual development, we usually choose which method to use for comparison based on specific requirements.