What is the difference between == and .equals() in Java?

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In Java, == and .equals() are both used to compare values, but they serve different purposes and behave differently depending on what you're comparing.

== (Double Equals):

• Compares references, not content.

• When used with primitive types (like int, char, etc.), it compares actual values.

• When used with objects, it checks whether both references point to the same memory location (i.e., are they the exact same object).

.equals() Method:

• Compares the contents or values of two objects.

• It’s defined in the Object class but often overridden in other classes like String, List, etc.

• For Strings and many other Java objects, .equals() is used to check for logical equality.

Summary:

• Use == when you want to check if two references point to the same object.

• Use .equals() when you want to check if two objects have the same content or value.

Important: If you use .equals() on objects without overriding it (and it inherits from Object), it behaves like == by default. Always check if .equals() is properly overridden for meaningful comparison.

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