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Equals Method (equals()) - The equals() method is used to compare the content or value of two objects, rather than their references. It is a method defined in the Object class and can be overridden by subclasses to provide a custom implementation for comparing objects.

The equals method in Java is used to compare two objects for equality. It's like comparing two pieces of a puzzle to see if they fit together perfectly.

Let's use an everyday example: Suppose you have two cups. At a glance, they might look similar, but to check if they are truly identical, you would compare their features — like color, size, shape, and design. If all these features match, then you can conclude that the two cups are equal.

In Java, objects are like these cups. The equals method allows you to define what it means for two objects to be considered "equal." By default, the equals method in Java checks if two references (think of them as addresses or pointers) point to the exact same object, which is like checking if two addresses point to the same house.

However, you can override the equals method to compare objects based on their internal states (their properties). For example, if you have an object that represents a book, you might decide that two book objects are equal if they have the same title and author, regardless of whether they are the same physical book (or object) in memory.

So, the equals method in Java is a way to define equality for objects based on your specific criteria, going beyond just checking if they are the same physical entity in memory.