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Table of Contents
What Does the Equals Contract Require?
Why Override HashCode When You Override Equals?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
How to Implement Equals Correctly
Home Java javaTutorial What is the equals method contract?

What is the equals method contract?

Jun 26, 2025 am 12:59 AM

In Java, five rules must be followed when overriding the equals() method: reflexivity, symmetry, transitiveness, consistency and non-emptiness. 1. Reflexivity requires that the object compares with itself returns true; 2. Symmetry ensures that the results of x.equals(y) and y.equals(x) are consistent; 3. Transmission requirements: If x.equals(y) and y.equals(z) are true, then x.equals(z) should also be true; 4. Consistency ensures that the result of the same object calls equals() multiple times remains unchanged; 5. Non-empty stipulates that the object compares with null should return false. In addition, hashCode() must be overwritten at the same time when overwriting equals() to ensure that equal objects have the same hash code, thus ensuring the correct behavior of collection classes such as HashMap and HashSet. When implementing, you need to use the same fields to calculate equals() and hashCode(), and avoid common errors such as not handling null, misuse ==, destroying symmetry, or forgetting to rewrite hashCode() synchronously. The correct implementation steps include: checking whether it is the same object, judging the legality of parameters, casting type, comparing key fields one by one, and simplifying logic with tools such as Objects.equals().

What is the equals method contract?

When you're working with Java and comparing objects, the equals() method is what you use to check if two objects are logically "equal" — but there's a specific contract you must follow when overriding it. If you don't, your code might behave unpredictably, especially when used with collections like HashMap or HashSet.

What Does the Equals Contract Require?

The equals method in Java has a clear set of rules defined in its contract. These are not enforced by the compiler, so it's up to you to make sure they're followed:

  • Reflexive : For any non-null reference x, x.equals(x) should return true.
  • Symmetric : If x.equals(y) returns true, then y.equals(x) must also return true.
  • Transitive : If x.equals(y) and y.equals(z) both return true, then x.equals(z) should return true as well.
  • Consistent : Multiple calls to equals() on the same objects (as long as they aren't modified) should return the same result consistently.
  • Non-null : For any non-null reference x, x.equals(null) should return false.

These rules ensure that object comparison behaves predictably across different parts of your application.

Why Override HashCode When You Override Equals?

If two objects are equal according to the equals() method, their hash codes must be the same too. That's why whenever you override equals() , you should also override hashCode() .

Why? Because classes like HashMap and HashSet rely on hash codes to organize and retrieve data efficiently. If two equal objects return different hash codes, those collections might fail to find or manage your objects correctly.

So here's the rule:

  • Always override hashCode() when you override equals() .
  • Use the same fields in both methods to calculate equality and hash value.

This helps maintain consistency between object identity and how they're stored and retrieved in collections.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced developers sometimes slip up when implementing equals() . Here are some common pitfalls:

  • Not handling nulls properly: Make sure to check for null before calling methods on an object inside equals() .
  • Using == instead of .equals() for field comparisons: The == operator checks references for objects, not values.
  • Breaking symmetry accidentally: This often happens when extending classes. If you add new fields in a subclass, make sure the equals() logic doesn't violent symmetry.
  • Forgetting to override hashCode() after changing equals() .

One example is this: says you have a Person class with a name field. If you only compare names in equals() but forget to update hashCode() , two equal Person objects could return different hash codes — which will cause issues in maps and sets.

How to Implement Equals Correctly

Implementing equals() properly involves several steps. Here's a practical approach:

  1. Check if the object being compared is this — if yes, return true.
  2. Check if the input object is null or of the wrong type — return false if so.
  3. Cast the object to the correct type.
  4. Compare each significant field one by one:
    • Use Objects.equals() for object fields.
    • Use == for primitives.
  5. Return true only if all fields match.

You can also use helper methods like Objects.hash() or Arrays.deepEquals() depending on your object structure.

Here's a quick example:

 @Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
    if (this == obj) return true;
    if (!(obj instanceof Person)) return false;

    Person other = (Person) obj;
    return Objects.equals(this.name, other.name);
}

And always remember to pair it with a matching hashCode() method.

Basically that's it.

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