Can you explain what the standard Object class in Java represents?

In Java, the Object class is the root class for all other classes. This means that every class implicitly inherits from Object unless specified otherwise. The Object class provides basic methods that are available to all objects, such as:

• toString() — returns a string representation of the object.
• equals(Object obj) — checks for object equality.
• hashCode() — returns the hash code of the object.
• getClass() — returns the Class object describing the class of the object.
• clone() — creates a copy of the object (if supported).

Thus, Object defines a common interface and behavior for all objects in Java, providing basic operations that can be overridden in subclasses.