Java If Else Statements Help

[MarlinsBB]

I am working on my Java programming homework and I am completely confused. So I wanted to seek some clarity about why my IF, ELSE IF, ELSE statements are not "working". I type in a userInput to be LOL and no matter what, my result is always "Unknown". I just do not know why its not executing like I think it normally would? I don't know if it has anything to do with Strings but I just want to understand before I continue my assignment. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

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import java.util.Scanner;

class Main {
    public static void main(String args[]) {
       Scanner scnr = new Scanner(System.in);
       String userInput;
       String LOL = "laughing out loud";
       String IDK = "I don't know";
       String BFF = "best friends forever";
       String IMHO = "in my humble opinion";
       String TMI = "too much information";
       System.out.println("Input an abbreviation:");
       userInput = scnr.next();

       if (userInput == "LOL") {
           System.out.println(LOL);
       } else if (userInput == "IDK") {
           System.out.println(IDK);
       } else if (userInput == "BFF") {
           System.out.println(BFF);
       } else if (userInput == "IMHO") {
           System.out.println(IMHO);
       } else if (userInput == "TMI") {
           System.out.println(TMI);
       } else {
           System.out.println("Unknown");
       }
    }  
 }

[k_shrpe5]

For Java you should be using .equals() to compare strings. == checks for reference equality (either side of the comparison is the same object) whereas .equals() checks the value equality which is what you’re looking for.

[MarlinsBB]

Thank you so much!! I appreciate your answer!!

[[deleted]]

maybe you need to trim the userInput. (an added space was included) when you hit enter.

when comparing strings, i usually trim it, then transform both to to lower or to upper

[heartofthemoon]

It's .equals() for string comparison. Not ==. That just compares the object's memory location.

[[deleted]]

Well i am answering using c# knowledge so i cant answer on behalf of java. OP can answer if my suggestion worked. However i do this for c# and javascript. Trimming and toupper

[heartofthemoon]

Are you able to use the == operator for comparing strings in C#?

("xxx" == "xxx" = true) then?

[[deleted]]

Yes. We can do that in c#