What would you use to compare two String variables the operator == or the method equals() in java?

1. We use String compare using equels() methods. Its compare both String's contents.
2. In case using = = then check both String object's memory address.
3. If you know more info about, how do handling String object in JVM? More...

 class StringCompare  
 {  
      public static void main(String[] arg)  
      {  
           System.out.println("String comparition difference between == and equals()");  
           String str1 = "hello";  
           String str2 = "hello";  
           String str3 = new String("hello");  
           String str4 = new String("hello");  
           System.out.println("str1 : "+str1);  
           System.out.println("str2 : "+str2);  
           System.out.println("str3 : "+str3);  
           System.out.println("str4 : "+str4);  
           System.out.println("==");  
           System.out.print("str1 == str2 : ");  
           System.out.println(str1 == str2);  
           System.out.print("str1 == str3 : ");  
           System.out.println(str1 == str3);  
           System.out.print("str3 == str4 : ");  
           System.out.println(str3 == str4);  
           System.out.println("equals()");  
           System.out.print("str1.equals(str2) : ");  
           System.out.println(str1.equals(str2));  
           System.out.print("str1.equals(str3) : ");  
           System.out.println(str1.equals(str3));  
           System.out.print("str3.equals(str4) : ");  
           System.out.println(str3.equals(str4));  
      }  
 }  

Output: