Comparison Operators
Comparison operators are used to compare two values (or variables). This is important in programming, because it helps us to find answers and make decisions.
The return value of a comparison is either true or false. These values are known as Boolean values, and you will learn more about them in the Booleans and If..Else chapter.
In the following example, we use the greater than operator (>) to find out if 5 is greater than 3:
Example
int x = 5;
int y = 3;
System.out.println(x > y); // returns true, because 5 is higher than 3
A list of all comparison operators:
| Operator | Name | Example | Try it |
|---|---|---|---|
| == | Equal to | x == y | |
| != | Not equal | x != y | |
| > | Greater than | x > y | |
| < | Less than | x < y | |
| >= | Greater than or equal to | x >= y | |
| <= | Less than or equal to | x <= y |
Real-Life Examples
Comparison operators are often used in real-world conditions, such as checking if a person is old enough to vote:
Example
int age = 18;
System.out.println(age >= 18); // true, old enough to vote
System.out.println(age < 18); // false
Another common use is checking if a password is long enough:
Example
int passwordLength = 5;
System.out.println(passwordLength >= 8); // false, too short
System.out.println(passwordLength < 8); // true, needs more characters
