Java - Integer compareTo() method

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Description

The Java Integer compareTo() method compares two Integer objects numerically.

Declaration

Following is the declaration for java.lang.Integer.compareTo() method

public int compareTo(Integer anotherInteger)

Parameters

anotherInteger − This is the Integer to be compared.

Return Value

This method returns the value 0 if this Integer is equal to the argument Integer, a value less than 0 if this Integer is numerically less than the argument Integer and a value greater than 0 if this Integer is numerically greater than the argument Integer.

Exception

NA

Example 1

The following example shows the usage of Integer compareTo() method to compare two integer objects. We've created two Integer variables and assigned them Integer objects created using a positive int values. Then using compareTo() method, we're comparing the integer objects.

package com.tutorialspoint;
public class IntegerDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {

      // compares two Integer objects numerically
      Integer obj1 = new Integer("25");
      Integer obj2 = new Integer("10");
      int retval =  obj1.compareTo(obj2);
    
      if(retval > 0) {
         System.out.println("obj1 is greater than obj2");
      } else if(retval < 0) {
         System.out.println("obj1 is less than obj2");
      } else {
         System.out.println("obj1 is equal to obj2");
      }
   }
} 

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

obj1 is greater than obj2

Example 2

The following example shows the usage of Integer compareTo() method to compare two integer objects. We've created two Integer variables and assigned them Integer objects created using a negative int values. Then using compareTo() method, we're comparing the integer objects.

package com.tutorialspoint;
public class IntegerDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {

      // compares two Integer objects numerically
      Integer obj1 = new Integer("-25");
      Integer obj2 = new Integer("-10");
      int retval =  obj1.compareTo(obj2);
    
      if(retval > 0) {
         System.out.println("obj1 is greater than obj2");
      } else if(retval < 0) {
         System.out.println("obj1 is less than obj2");
      } else {
         System.out.println("obj1 is equal to obj2");
      }
   }
} 

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

obj1 is less than obj2

Example 3

The following example shows the usage of Integer compareTo() method to compare two integer objects. We've created two Integer variables and assigned them Integer objects created using a same positive int values. Then using compareTo() method, we're comparing the integer objects.

package com.tutorialspoint;
public class IntegerDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {

      // compares two Integer objects numerically
      Integer obj1 = new Integer("25");
      Integer obj2 = new Integer("25");
      int retval =  obj1.compareTo(obj2);
    
      if(retval > 0) {
         System.out.println("obj1 is greater than obj2");
      } else if(retval < 0) {
         System.out.println("obj1 is less than obj2");
      } else {
         System.out.println("obj1 is equal to obj2");
      }
   }
} 

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

obj1 is equal to obj2