Object Class toString() Method in Java

Object Class toString() Method in Java | The java.lang.Object.toString() method is used to retrieve object information in string form. The prototype of the toString() method in the Object class in Java is:- public String toString()

Every class is having its own class name, hashcode, and state. In java.lang.Object class toString() method is implemented for returning the class name and hashcode of the current object in the hexadecimal format as classname@hashCodeInHexadecimalFormat. It is internally calling getClass() method and hashCode() method. The toString method implementation logic is given in the Object class as shown below:

public String toString() {
  return getClass().getName() + "@" 
         + Integer.toHexString(hashCode());
}

Let us demonstrate it through an example,

public class Test {
   public static void main(String[] args) {

      Test t1 = new Test();
      System.out.println(t1);
      System.out.println(t1.toString());

      Test t2 = new Test();
      System.out.println(t2);
   }
}

Output:-

Test@d716361
Test@d716361
Test@6ff3c5b5

Whenever we are trying to print an Object reference then internally toString() method will be called. Since the toString() method is not defined in the Test class, so the compiler will search for it in the superclass. Directly or indirectly every Java class is a subclass of java.lang.Object class. Therefore, the toString() method will be executed from the Object class and display the string “classname@hashCodeInHexadecimalFormat”.

Note that the below two lines give the same result. Whenever we call print()/println() method to display object then internally it called toString() method.

System.out.println(t1); // internally toString() is called
System.out.println(t1.toString());

Another example with Student class,

class Student {

  int id;
  String name;
  String course;

  public Student(int id, String name, String course) {
    this.id = id;
    this.name = name;
    this.course = course;
  }
}

public class Test {
  public static void main(String[] args) {

    Student s1 = new Student(100, "Emma", "Java");
    System.out.println(s1);

    Student s2 = new Student(101, "Noah", "Python");
    System.out.println(s2);
  }
}

Output:-

Student@ee7d9f1
Student@1963006a

Override toString() in Java

The above outputs are not meaningful messages. It should display Student object data, rather than its references. If we want to return the object’s state from this method we must override it in the subclass. Based on our requirement we can override the toString() method in our class to provide our own representation.

public class Test {

   @Override
   public String toString() {
      return "Test";
   }

   public static void main(String[] args) {

      Test t1 = new Test();
      System.out.println(t1);
      System.out.println(t1.toString());

      Test t2 = new Test();
      System.out.println(t2);
   }
}

Output:-

Test
Test
Test

Now, in the Test class toString() method is overridden and returns the “Test” string. Therefore whenever we try to print object reference then it is executed from the Test class and returns the “Test” String. Let us see another example:-

class Student {
  int id;
  String name;
  String course;

  public Student(int id, String name, String course) {
    this.id = id;
    this.name = name;
    this.course = course;
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    return "Student [id=" + id + 
               ", name=" + name + 
               ", course=" + course + "]";
  }
}

public class Test {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Student s1 = new Student(100, "Emma", "Java");
    System.out.println(s1);

    Student s2 = new Student(101, "Noah", "Python");
    System.out.println(s2);
  }
}

Output:-

Student [id=100, name=Emma, course=Java]
Student [id=101, name=Noah, course=Python]

In the Student class toString() method is overridden and returns the state or data of the object. Therefore whenever we are trying to print an object reference then it will display the id and name of the Student object.

Use of toString Method in Java

In all collection classes, all wrapper classes, Arrays, String, StringBuffer, and StringBuilder classes the toString() method is overridden to display the content. That’s why while using these classes we are getting object data rather than the reference of the object.

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;
public class Test {
   public static void main(String[] args) {

      // String class 
      String s = "KnowProgram";
      System.out.println(s);

      // Wrapper classes
      Integer io = Integer.valueOf(10);
      System.out.println(io);
      Double d = Double.valueOf(19.5);
      System.out.println(d);

      // ArrayList class
      ArrayList<Character> al = new ArrayList<Character>();
      al.add('K');
      al.add('P');
      System.out.println(al);

      // Arrays
      int arr[] = new int[]{1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
      System.out.println(Arrays.toString(arr));
   }
}

Output:-

KnowProgram
10
19.5
[K, P]
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

See More:- Arrays.toString() in Java

Relation between toString() and hashCode() methods

When the toString() method is not overridden in the class then the toString() method is executed from the Java Object class. Object class toString() method internally calls hashCode() method.

But if we are overriding the toString() method then it may or may not call hashCode(), it completely depends on the implementation logic.

#Case1:- Both toString() and hashCode() methods are not overriden.

class A{

  int x;

  A(int x){
    this.x = x;
  }
}

class Test{
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    A a1 = new A(18);
    System.out.println(a1);
  }
}

Output:-

A@6ff3c5b5

Here toString() and hashCode() methods are executed from Object class and returns className@ hashCodeInHexadecimalFormat

#Case2:- Only hashCode() method is overriden.

class A{

  int x;

  A(int x){
    this.x = x;
  }

  @Override
  public int hashCode(){
    return 100;
  }
}

class Test{
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    A a1 = new A(18);
    System.out.println(a1);
  }
}

Output:-

A@64

Whenever we try to print object reference then the toString() method is called. Since toString() is not overridden in the “A” class so it will be called from the Object class. The toString() of the Object class internally calls the hashCode() method, but the hashCode method is overridden in class A. So, the hashCode() method will be executed from the “A” class.

The value returned by the hashCode() method is in integer format which will be converted to hexadecimal format by the toString() method of the Object class. After that, this value will be concatenated with the String. In our example, hashCode() returned 100. The hexadecimal format of integer value 100 is 64. Hence we get A@64.

#Case3:- The hashCode() and toString() method, both are overriden.

class A{

  int x;

  A(int x){
    this.x = x;
  }

  @Override
  public int hashCode(){
    return 9;
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    return "" + x;
  }
}

class Test{
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    A a1 = new A(18);
    System.out.println(a1);
  }
}

Output:-

18

Since toString() method is overridden and its implementation logic is not calling any other methods, directly returns the value in string format. Hence hashCode() method won’t get any chance to execute.

#Case4:- Only toString() is overriden.

It is similar to the previous case. When toString() is overridden then it may or may not call hashCode(), it depends on its implementation logic.

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