Java Object Class Methods and Usage

Understanding Java's Object Class The Object class serves as the root of the Java class hierarchy. Every class in Java implicitly extends Object, granting access to all Object class methods. Located in the java.lang package, Object is automatically imported during compilation. When defining a class without explicit inheritance, it becomes an Ob ...

Posted on Sun, 12 Jul 2026 17:30:08 +0000 by ziola

Why Override hashCode() When Overriding equals() in Java

The Default Behavior of equals() In java.lang.Object, the base implementation simply checks reference identity: public boolean equals(Object obj) { return (this == obj); } Without overriding, two distinct instances are never equal, even if they hold identical field values. A typical custom implementation compares logical attributes: class ...

Posted on Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:32:15 +0000 by erikhillis

Comparing Objects in Java: equals() vs Objects.equals()

The equals() method in Java is commonly used for comparison, and developers often override it in custom classes to determine object equality. Consider the following example of a User class with an overridden equals method:public class User { private String username; // User's login name private int age; // User's age private String ...

Posted on Tue, 19 May 2026 00:26:22 +0000 by ColinP

Why hashCode Must Be Overridden When equals Is Overridden in Java

Entity Class Definition Let's define a simple Rectangle class that overrides the equals method to compare objects based on their width and height values instead of reference equality. class Rectangle { private int width; private int height; public int getWidth() { return width; } public void setWidth(int width) { ...

Posted on Wed, 13 May 2026 13:15:07 +0000 by nolos

Implementing Custom Objects as HashMap Keys in Java

In Java, the HashMap implementation uses the hashCode() method to determine the storage bucket for a key and the equals() method to check for key equality. The default implementation in the Object class generates a hash code based on the object's memory address. This behavior creates a problem when using custom objects as keys: two distinct ins ...

Posted on Sat, 09 May 2026 05:35:46 +0000 by elbowgrease