Re: BaseDataObject equality

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Technically, ObjectId is the way to check that two objects across =
contexts are pointing to the same DB row. Whether this constitutes =
equality from a Java perspective or not is a very situational. Sometimes =
it is, other times it is not (e.g., when you are comparing property =
values).=20

So while I don't recall at the moment how (un)safe it is to override =
Object.equals(..) from the framework standpoint (probably ok), I usually =
avoid doing that for the philosophical reason above :) The alternatives =
are either specific comparison methods like "idEquals(..)", using =
Map<ObjectId, ?> instead of a Set, etc.

Andrus

> On May 15, 2026, at 8:51=E2=80=AFAM, Robert A. Decker =
<[email protected]> wrote:
>=20
> How should I be checking equality between persistent objects, to use a =
java.util.HashSet for example?
>=20
> Is the ObjectId of a BaseDataObject the same across all ObjectContexts =
for a database row?
>=20
> Do people using cayenne override the equals method:
>  return this.getObjectId().equals(other.getObjectId());
>=20
> Or is there a different way people usually check equality? (compare =
primary keys, etc?)
>=20
> Rob


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