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

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In Java, == and .equals() are used for comparison, but they serve different purposes and behave differently:

1. == (Reference Comparison)

• Compares object references, not the contents.

• Checks if two references point to the exact same object in memory.

• Works as expected for primitive types (e.g., int, char) because it compares actual values.

2. .equals() (Content Comparison)

• Compares the values or contents of two objects.

• Defined in the Object class, but many classes (like String, List, etc.) override it to provide meaningful value comparisons.

Key Differences:

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

• Use .equals() to check if two objects are logically equal (i.e., have the same data).

Special Notes:

• Always override .equals() in custom classes to define what equality means for your objects.

• When using .equals(), ensure the object is not null to avoid NullPointerException.

In summary, == checks memory addresses, while .equals() checks data equality, making .equals() the preferred method for comparing object contents in Java.

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