What is the purpose of the equals method in Java?

What is the purpose of the equals method in Java?

The equals method in Java is used to compare two objects for equality. By default, it checks for reference equality, but it can be overridden to compare the actual content of the objects.

How do I override the equals method?

To override the equals method, you need to define it in your class and compare the relevant fields of the objects. Here's a simple example:

@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
    if (this == obj) return true;
    if (obj == null || getClass() != obj.getClass()) return false;
    MyClass myClass = (MyClass) obj;
    return field1.equals(myClass.field1) && field2.equals(myClass.field2);
}

What about the hashCode method?

When you override the equals method, you should also override the hashCode method to maintain the general contract for the hashCode method, which states that equal objects must have the same hash code.

Can you give an example of overriding both methods?

Sure! Here's an example:

@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
    // implementation
}

@Override
public int hashCode() {
    // implementation
}