Java Program to Compare Two Strings

This article covers a program in Java that compares two strings entered by user at run-time of the program. Here are the list of programs covered in this article:

Compare two strings using equals()
Compare two strings using compareTo()
Compare two strings character by character, without using equals() and compareTo()

Compare Two Strings in Java using equals()

The question is, write a Java program that compares two given strings. The string must be received by user at run-time. The program given below is its answer:

import java.util.Scanner;

public class CodesCracker
{
   public static void main(String[] args)
   {
      String strOne, strTwo;
      Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
      
      System.out.print("Enter the First String: ");
      strOne = scan.nextLine();
      System.out.print("Enter the Second String: ");
      strTwo = scan.nextLine();
      
      if(strOne.equals(strTwo))
         System.out.println("\nBoth Strings are equal.");
      else
         System.out.println("\nBoth Strings are not equal.");
   }
}

The snapshot given below shows the sample run of above program with user input codescracker as both string:

java program compare two strings

Compare Two Strings in Java using compareTo()

To compare two strings using compareTo() method, just replace the condition of if statement. That is, replace the following code, from above program:

if(strOne.equals(strTwo))

with the code given below:

if(strOne.compareTo(strTwo)==0)

Now let's modify the program to provide some more information about comparing of two strings.

import java.util.Scanner;

public class CodesCracker
{
   public static void main(String[] args)
   {
      Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
      
      System.out.print("Enter the First String: ");
      String strOne = scan.nextLine();
      System.out.print("Enter the Second String: ");
      String strTwo = scan.nextLine();
      
      if(strOne.compareTo(strTwo) > 0)
         System.out.println("\nThe String \"" +strOne+ "\" is larger than \"" +strTwo);
      else if(strOne.compareTo(strTwo) < 0)
         System.out.println("\nThe String \"" +strOne+ "\" is smaller than \"" +strTwo);
      else
         System.out.println("\nStrings are equal to each other.");
   }
}

Here is its sample run with user input codes as first and cracker as second string.

compare two strings in java

Compare Two Strings in Java - Character by Character

This program compares two strings in character by character manner. Also, this program does not uses equals() and compareTo() methods to do the job.

import java.util.Scanner;

public class CodesCracker
{
   public static void main(String[] args)
   {
      int k=0;
      Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
      
      System.out.print("Enter the First String: ");
      String strOne = scan.nextLine();
      System.out.print("Enter the Second String: ");
      String strTwo = scan.nextLine();
      
      int strOneLen = strOne.length();
      int strTwoLen = strTwo.length();
      
      if(strOneLen == strTwoLen)
      {
         for(int i=0; i<strOneLen; i++)
         {
            if(strOne.charAt(i)==strTwo.charAt(i))
               k++;
            else
            {
               System.out.println("\nStrings are Unequal.");
               break;
            }
         }
      }
      else
         System.out.println("\nStrings are of Unequal size/length.");
      if(k==strOneLen)
         System.out.println("\nStrings are Equal.");
   }
}

Here is its sample run with user input Java is Fun. as both strings:

java compare two strings character by character

Same Program in Other Languages

Java Online Test

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