Method Class | equals() Method in Java

The java.lang.reflect.Method.equals(Object obj) method of Method class compares this Method Object against the specified object as parameter to equal(object obj) method. This method returns true if the Method object is the same as the passed object. Two Methods are the same if they were declared by the same class and have the same name and formal parameter types and return type. 

Syntax of equals() Method

public boolean equals(Object obj)

Parameter

• This method accepts a mandatory parameter obj which is the object to be compared.

Return Value

• The method returns true if the Method object is the same as the passed object as a parameter, otherwise false. 

Examples of equals() method

The below program illustrates equals(Object obj) method of Method class:

Examples 1: When both objects are the same. 

Java

// Java Program Demonstrate
// equals(Object Obj) method
// of Method Class.
import java.lang.reflect.Method;

// Driver class
public class GFG {
    // main function
    public static void main(String[] args)
        throws NoSuchMethodException, SecurityException,
               ClassNotFoundException
    {

        // Get all method of class GFGClass
        // and store in an Array of Method Objects
        Method[] methods = GFGClass.class.getMethods();

        // create a method object by passing
        // method name and parameter type
        Method method
            = GFGClass.class.getMethod("add", String.class);

        System.out.println("First Method object from array "
                           + "create by getMethods():");
        System.out.println(methods[0]);
        System.out.println("Method object created by "
                           + "getMethod():");
        System.out.println(method);

        // compare both objects by equals method
        if (methods[0].equals(method)) {
            System.out.println("Both Method objects"
                               + " are equal");
        }
        else {
            System.out.println("Both Method objects"
                               + " are not equal");
        }
    }
}

// This is Sample Class for which
// the class object are created
class GFGClass {

    // We have two variables in this class

    private String field1;

    public GFGClass() {}

    // creating methods
    public String add(String field2)
    {
        return this.field1 + field2;
    }
}

Output

First Method object from array create by getMethods():
public java.lang.String GFGClass.add(java.lang.String)
Method object created by getMethod():
public java.lang.String GFGClass.add(java.lang.Strin...

Example 2: When both objects are not the same. 

Java

// Program Demonstrate
// equals(Object Obj) method
// of Method Class.
import java.lang.reflect.Method;

// This is Main Class
public class GFG {
    // main function
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        // Get all method of class GFGClass
        // and store as Array of Method Objects
        Method[] methods = GFGClass.class.getMethods();

        // select any two method and compare
        System.out.println(" Methods are : ");
        System.out.println(methods[0]);
        System.out.println(methods[1]);

        if (methods[0].equals(methods[1])) {
            System.out.println("Methods are equal ");
        }
        else {
            System.out.println("Methods are not equal");
        }
    }
}

// This is Sample Class
class GFGClass {
    // We have two variables in this class
    private String field1;
    private String field2;

    public GFGClass() {}

    // we have four methods in this class
    public String getField1() { return field1; }

    public void setField1(String field1)
    {
        this.field1 = field1;
    }

    public String getField2() { return field2; }

    public void setField2(String field2)
    {
        this.field2 = field2;
    }
}

Output

 Methods are : 
public java.lang.String GFGClass.getField1()
public void GFGClass.setField1(java.lang.String)
Methods are not equal