Comparison Operators in Java

Comparison operators are used to compare two values and determine if they are equal, greater than, or less than each other. In Java, there are several comparison operators:

OperatorMeaningExampleDescription
= =Equala == bChecks if a is equal to b
!=Not equala!=bChecks if a is not equal to b
<Less thana<bChecks if a is less than b
>Greater thana>bChecks if a is greater than b
<=Less than or equala<=bChecks if a is less than or equal to b
>=Greater than or equala>=Checks if a is greater than or equal to b
Comparison operators table
  • ==: This operator is used to determine if two values are equal to each other. For example:
int a = 5;
int b = 5;
if (a == b) {
  System.out.println("a and b are equal");
}
  • !=: This operator is used to determine if two values are not equal to each other. For example:
int a = 5;
int b = 6;
if (a != b) {
  System.out.println("a and b are not equal");
}
  • >: This operator is used to determine if one value is greater than another. For example:
int a = 5;
int b = 6;
if (a > b) {
  System.out.println("a is greater than b");
}
  • <: This operator is used to determine if one value is less than another. For example:
int a = 5;
int b = 6;
if (a < b) {
  System.out.println("a is less than b");
}
  • >=: This operator is used to determine if one value is greater than or equal to another. For example:
int a = 5;
int b = 5;
if (a >= b) {
  System.out.println("a is greater than or equal to b");
}
  • <=: This operator is used to determine if one value is less than or equal to another. For example:
int a = 5;
int b = 5;
if (a <= b) {
  System.out.println("a is less than or equal to b");
}

It is important to note that comparison operators can only be used with certain data types, such as int, double, char, and boolean. They cannot be used with reference types, like String. To compare strings in Java, you can use the .equals() method. For example:

String str1 = "Hello";
String str2 = "Hello";
if (str1.equals(str2)) {
  System.out.println("str1 and str2 are equal");
}

Comparison operators are a fundamental part of programming and are used in many different contexts, including decision making and looping. Understanding how to use these operators is an essential skill for any Java programmer.