/** * Returns a hash code value for the object. This method is * supported for the benefit of hash tables such as those provided by * {@link java.util.HashMap}. * <p> * The general contract of {@code hashCode} is: * <ul> * <li>Whenever it is invoked on the same object more than once during * an execution of a Java application, the {@code hashCode} method * must consistently return the same integer, provided no information * used in {@code equals} comparisons on the object is modified. * This integer need not remain consistent from one execution of an * application to another execution of the same application. * <li>If two objects are equal according to the {@code equals(Object)} * method, then calling the {@code hashCode} method on each of * the two objects must produce the same integer result. * <li>It is <em>not</em> required that if two objects are unequal * according to the {@link java.lang.Object#equals(java.lang.Object)} * method, then calling the {@code hashCode} method on each of the * two objects must produce distinct integer results. However, the * programmer should be aware that producing distinct integer results * for unequal objects may improve the performance of hash tables. * </ul> * <p> * As much as is reasonably practical, the hashCode method defined by * class {@code Object} does return distinct integers for distinct * objects. (This is typically implemented by converting the internal * address of the object into an integer, but this implementation * technique is not required by the * Java<font size="-2"><sup>TM</sup></font> programming language.) * * @return a hash code value for this object. * @see java.lang.Object#equals(java.lang.Object) * @see java.lang.System#identityHashCode */ public native int hashCode();