.equals() vs == in Java – What’s the Real Difference?

 

In Java, you might think == and .equals() do the same thing — but they don’t.

Let’s break down the difference in a super simple way 👇

== Operator

• Compares references (memory addresses).

• Checks if two variables point to the same object in memory.
  Example:
  

  String a = new String("Java");

  String b = new String("Java");

  
  

  System.out.println(a == b);  // false ❌
  
  

  .equals() Method

  • Compares the actual content (data inside the object).

  • Works for objects like String, ArrayList, etc.