Is It Better to Use Apache Commons EqualsBuilder and HashCodeBuilder for equals/hashCode Implementations?

Is it advisable to use Apache Commons EqualsBuilder and HashCodeBuilder for implementing equals and hashCode methods in Java?

Using Apache Commons Lang's EqualsBuilder and HashCodeBuilder can streamline the process of generating equals and hashCode methods in Java objects, enhancing code readability and maintainability.

import org.apache.commons.lang3.builder.EqualsBuilder;
import org.apache.commons.lang3.builder.HashCodeBuilder;

public class Person {
    private String name;
    private int age;

    @Override
    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
        if (this == obj) return true;
        if (obj == null || getClass() != obj.getClass()) return false;
        Person person = (Person) obj;
        return new EqualsBuilder()
                .append(age, person.age)
                .append(name, person.name)
                .isEquals();
    }

    @Override
    public int hashCode() {
        return new HashCodeBuilder(17, 37)
                .append(name)
                .append(age)
                .toHashCode();
    }
}

Causes

• Custom implementations can lead to boilerplate code and errors.
• Apache Commons provides consistent functionality, minimizing common pitfalls.

Solutions

• Use EqualsBuilder for constructing equals method implementations.
• Utilize HashCodeBuilder for creating hashCode methods more efficiently.

Mistake: Neglecting to include all relevant fields in equals and hashCode implementations

Solution: Ensure all significant fields are included to maintain correctness.

Mistake: Using mutable fields in equals and hashCode methods

Solution: Only include fields from immutable data to prevent unexpected behavior.