Differences between == Operator and equals() Method

• == Operator:
  • Purpose: Compares memory addresses (reference equality).
  • Usage: Often used to check if two reference variables point to the same object in memory.
  • Example:

    String a = new String("Hello");
    String b = new String("Hello");
    System.out.println(a == b); // Output: false
    

• equals() Method:
  • Purpose: Compares values (content equality).
  • Usage: Used to compare the actual content of objects for logical equality.
  • Example:

    String a = new String("Hello");
    String b = new String("Hello");
    System.out.println(a.equals(b)); // Output: true
    

To sum it up, == checks if both references point to the same object, while equals() checks if the values of the objects are the same.