what is difference between equals() and contentEquals() of String class?

[Soumya Padhiary]

what is the difference between below 2 methods of String class:

boolean equals(Object o);
boolean contentEquals(CharacterSequence cs);

Please explain with an example .

[Michael Lars]

equals(Object o) return true/false on any type of data, depend if the content is equal !

contentEquals(CharacterSequence cs) returns true if and only if this String represents the same sequence of characters as the specified StringBuffer.

[Steve Luke]

The big difference is that equals() will only work with another String, while contentEquals() would work on any CharacterSequence (like StringBuilder).

public class Test
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        String str1 = "Hello";
        String str2 = new String("Hello");
        StringBuilder str3 = new StringBuilder(str1);

        System.out.println("str1.equals(str2): " + (str1.equals(str2)));
        System.out.println("str1.contentEquals(str2): " + (str1.contentEquals(str2)));
        System.out.println("str1.equals(str3): " + (str1.equals(str3)));
        System.out.println("str1.contentEquals(str3): " + (str1.contentEquals(str3)));
    }
}

Should produce:
str1.equals(str2): true
str1.contentEquals(str2): true
str1.equals(str3): false
str1.contentEquals(str3): true

[Steve Luke]

Steve Luke wrote:The big difference is that equals() will only work with another String...

That is to say could only every produce TRUE with another String.

[Campbell Ritchie]

And welcome to the Ranch

[Soumya Padhiary]

thank you a lot.

[Soumya Padhiary]

Steve Luke wrote:

Steve Luke wrote:The big difference is that equals() will only work with another String...

That is to say could only every produce TRUE with another String.

thank you buddy.. its clearify my doubt.