Comparable interface in Java

java.lang.Comparable<T>

This interface imposes a total ordering on the objects of each class that implements it. This ordering is referred to as the class's natural ordering, and the class's compareTo method is referred to as its natural comparison method.

This interface is a member of the Java Collections Framework.

Type Parameters: <T> the type of objects that this object may be compared to.

Subinterfaces:

ChronoLocalDate, ChronoLocalDateTime<D>, Chronology, ChronoZonedDateTime<D>, Delayed, Name, Path, RunnableScheduledFuture<V>, ScheduledFuture<V>

Implementing Classes:

AbstractChronology, AbstractRegionPainter.PaintContext.CacheMode, AccessMode, AclEntryFlag, AclEntryPermission, AclEntryType, AddressingFeature.Responses, Authenticator.RequestorType, BigDecimal, BigInteger, Boolean, Byte, ByteBuffer, Calendar, CertPathValidatorException.BasicReason, Character, Character.UnicodeScript, CharBuffer, Charset, ChronoField, ChronoUnit,ClientInfoStatus, CollationKey, Collector.Characteristics, Component.BaselineResizeBehavior, CompositeName, CompoundName, CRLReason, CryptoPrimitive, Date, Date, DayOfWeek, Desktop.Action, Diagnostic.Kind, Dialog.ModalExclusionType, Dialog.ModalityType, DocumentationTool.Location,Double, DoubleBuffer, DropMode, Duration, ElementKind, ElementType, Enum, File, FileTime, FileVisitOption, FileVisitResult, Float, FloatBuffer, FormatStyle, Formatter.BigDecimalLayoutForm, FormSubmitEvent.MethodType, GraphicsDevice.WindowTranslucency, GregorianCalendar, GroupLayout.Alignment, HijrahChronology, HijrahDate, HijrahEra, Instant, IntBuffer, Integer, IsoChronology, IsoEra, JapaneseChronology, JapaneseDate, JavaFileObject.Kind, JDBCType, JTable.PrintMode, KeyRep.Type, LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement, LdapName, LinkOption, LocalDate, LocalDateTime, Locale.Category, Locale.FilteringMode, LocalTime, Long, LongBuffer, MappedByteBuffer, MemoryType, MessageContext.Scope, MinguoChronology, MinguoDate, MinguoEra, Modifier, Month, MonthDay, MultipleGradientPaint.ColorSpaceType, MultipleGradientPaint.CycleMethod, NestingKind, Normalizer.Form, NumericShaper.Range, ObjectName, ObjectStreamField, OffsetDateTime, OffsetTime, PKIXReason, PKIXRevocationChecker.Option, PosixFilePermission, ProcessBuilder.Redirect.Type, Proxy.Type, PseudoColumnUsage, Rdn, ResolverStyle, Resource.AuthenticationType, RetentionPolicy, RoundingMode, RowFilter.ComparisonType, RowIdLifetime, RowSorterEvent.Type, Service.Mode, Short, ShortBuffer, SignStyle, SOAPBinding.ParameterStyle, SOAPBinding.Style, SOAPBinding.Use, SortOrder, SourceVersion, SSLEngineResult.HandshakeStatus, SSLEngineResult.Status, StandardCopyOption, StandardLocation, StandardOpenOption, StandardProtocolFamily, String, SwingWorker.StateValue, TextStyle, ThaiBuddhistChronology, ThaiBuddhistDate, ThaiBuddhistEra, Thread.State, Time, Timestamp, TimeUnit, TrayIcon.MessageType, TypeKind, URI, UUID, WebParam.Mode, Window.Type, XmlAccessOrder, XmlAccessType, XmlNsForm, Year, YearMonth, ZonedDateTime, ZoneOffset, ZoneOffsetTransition, ZoneOffsetTransitionRule.TimeDefinition

Declaration

public interface Comparable<T> {

    public int compareTo(T o);
}

Methods

1. compareTo(T o)

int java.lang.Comparable.compareTo(T o)

Compares this object with the specified object for order. Returns a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this object is less than, equal to, or greater than the specified object.

Parameters: One parameter is required for this method.

o: the object to be compared.

Returns: a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as this object is less than, equal to, or greater than the specified object.

Throws:

1. NullPointerException - if the specified object is null.

2. ClassCastException - if the specified object's type prevents it from being compared to this object.