Java Integer compareTo() method

Last Updated : 17 Mar 2025

The compareTo() method is a method of Integer class under java.lang package. This method compares two integer objects numerically. It returns the result of the value 0 if Integer is equal to the argument Integer, a value less than 0 if Integer is less than the argument Integer and a value greater than 0 if Integer is greater than the argument Integer. This method is specified by Comparable<Integer>Interface.

Note: This method cannot be compared two different types of argument, so both the argument and the number should be the same type.

Syntax

Following is the declaration of compare() method:

Parameter:

DataType	Parameter	Description	Required/Optional
int	anotherInteger	The Integer value to be compare	Required

Returns:

This method will returns the following values:

0 = The value 0 if this Integer = the argument Integer,
-1 = The value less than 0 if thisInteger < the argument Integer, and 
1 = The value greater than 0 if this Integer > the argument Integer

Exceptions:

Compatibility Version:

Java 1.2 and above

Example 1

public class IntegerCompareToExample1 {
	public static void main(String[] args) {		
	  Integer num1 = new Integer(10);
        Integer num2 = new Integer(20);
        Integer num3 = new Integer(10);
        Integer num4 = new Integer(30);
        // as num1<num2, output will be a value less than zero system.out.println(num1.compareto(num2)); as num1="num3," output will be zero system.out.println(num1.compareto(num3)); as num4> num2, Output will be a value greater than zero
        System.out.println(num4.compareTo(num2));			
	}
}

Output:

-1
0
1

Example 2

public class IntegerCompareToExample2 {
	public static void main(String[] args) {	
		// compares two Integer values numerically
	      Integer x = new Integer("90");
	      Integer y= new Integer("58");
	      int retResult =  x.compareTo(y);	    
	      if(retResult > 0) {
	         System.out.println("x is greater than y");
	      } else if(retResult< 0) {
	         System.out.println("x is less than y");
	      } else {
	         System.out.println("x is equal to y");
	      }
	}
}

Output:

x is greater than y

Example 3

public class IntegerCompareToExample3 {
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		Integer value = new Integer(222);
		// check if the value is less than 222
		System.out.println(value.compareTo(155));
		// check if value is equal to 222
		System.out.println(value.compareTo(222));
		// check if value is greater than 222
		System.out.println(value.compareTo(305));
	}
}

Output:

1
0
-1

Example 4

import java.util.Scanner;
public class IntegerCompareToExample4 {
	public static void main(String[] args) {		
		Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
            System.out.print("Enter the integer value to be campare with another Integer: ");	
		Integer value = sc.nextInt();
		sc.close();
		System.out.println(value.compareTo(305));
		System.out.println(value.compareTo(200));
		System.out.println(value.compareTo(155));				
	}
}

Output:

Enter the integer value to be campare with another Integer: 200
-1
0
1

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Java Integer compareTo() method

Note: This method cannot be compared two different types of argument, so both the argument and the number should be the same type.

Syntax

Parameter:

Returns:

Exceptions:

Compatibility Version:

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

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Java Integer compareTo() method

Note: This method cannot be compared two different types of argument, so both the argument and the number should be the same type.

Syntax

Parameter:

Returns:

Exceptions:

Compatibility Version:

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

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