Will the equals method return true when comparing objects of different classes if their fields match?

The equals method in Java by default (in the Object class) compares object references, meaning it returns true only if they are the same object.

If the equals method is overridden, the behavior depends on the implementation. Usually, in the equals implementation, the following are checked:

1. Whether the object is of the same class (or compatible type).
2. Whether the key fields' values match.

If objects are of different classes, equals typically returns false, even if the fields match, to maintain symmetry and consistency.

Example:

@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
    if (this == obj) return true;
    if (obj == null || getClass() != obj.getClass()) return false;
    MyClass other = (MyClass) obj;
    return Objects.equals(field1, other.field1) && Objects.equals(field2, other.field2);
}

Here, getClass() != obj.getClass() ensures that objects of different classes are not considered equal, even if their fields match.