Understanding == vs .equals() in Java: The Beginner's Trap That Cost Me Hours

Automated excerpt

When I first started learning Java, I wrote a simple login system. System. out. println(str1 == str2); // ❌ Prints FALSE Because the new keyword forces Java to create two completely separate objects in different memory locations. Because . equals() goes inside the object, compares it character-by-character (J-a-v-a), and confirms that the values are identical.

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