Difference between Relational Operator (==) and std::string::compare() in C++

Developers frequently have to decide between utilizing the std::string::compare() function and the relational operator == when comparing strings in C++. While the goal of both approaches is to compare characters, their behaviors and applications are different. The goal of this article is to clarify the differences between these two methods for C++ string comparison.

Introduction of Relational Operator (==):

In C++, the == operator is a binary operator that compares two values to see if they are equal. It compares the string's contents character by character when applied to std::string objects. The resulting function returns true if the strings are identical and false otherwise. Checking string equality is often done with this comparison method since it is simple to use and intuitive.

Syntax:

It has the following syntax:

Example

Let us take an example to illustrate the relational operator in C++.

Output:

x is equal to y
str1 is equal to str2

Introduction of std::string::compare( ):

In the C++ language, the std::string class has a member function called compare(). Additional details is provided rather than just equality when it compares two strings lexicographically. If the first string is lexicographically less than, equal to, or greater than the second string, it returns an integer value that is less than, equal to, or greater than zero.

Syntax:

It has the following syntax:

Example:

Let us take an example to illustrate the std::string::compare() in C++.

Output:

str1 is lexicographically less than str2

Distinctions and Applications:

• For basic equality evaluation, the shorter and simpler == operator is suitable. Because it gives comprehensive details about the relationship between two strings, std::string::compare() is useful for sorting or figuring out relative order.
• Given its ease of understanding and simplicity, the == operator is suggested when determining equality alone.
• More clarity and flexibility can be obtained using std::string::compare() for advanced ordering comparisons. Let's look more closely at these issues.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, comparing C++ strings may be done with the support of both the relational operator == and std::string::compare().The particular criteria of the comparison will decide which of them to use. Although == functions well for simple equality checks, std::string::compare() offers more information about the connection among strings, which makes it the better choice in some situations, such as lexicographical comparison or sorting.