0Pricing
C# Academy · Lesson

Overloading Comparison Operators

Implement ==, !=, and ordering operators.

Overloading Comparison Operators is a free C# Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the C# Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Comparison Operators and Equality

When you overload == you must also overload !=, and you should override Equals and GetHashCode to keep all forms of equality consistent. C# enforces the operator pairing at compile time.

Overloading == and !=

The compiler requires == and != to be defined together. Each returns a bool describing whether the operands are considered equal.

using System;

public struct Point
{
    public int X, Y;
    public Point(int x, int y) { X = x; Y = y; }

    public static bool operator ==(Point a, Point b) => a.X == b.X && a.Y == b.Y;
    public static bool operator !=(Point a, Point b) => !(a == b);

    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Point p && this == p;
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(X, Y);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new Point(1, 2) == new Point(1, 2));
        Console.WriteLine(new Point(1, 2) != new Point(3, 4));
    }
}

Always Override Equals Too

Operators are resolved at compile time by static type, but Equals is virtual and used by collections. Override Equals so dictionaries and List.Contains agree with your ==.

using System;

public struct Point
{
    public int X, Y;
    public Point(int x, int y) { X = x; Y = y; }
    public static bool operator ==(Point a, Point b) => a.X == b.X && a.Y == b.Y;
    public static bool operator !=(Point a, Point b) => !(a == b);
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Point p && this == p;
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(X, Y);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        object a = new Point(1, 2);
        object b = new Point(1, 2);
        Console.WriteLine(a.Equals(b));
    }
}

GetHashCode Must Match Equality

If two values are equal, they must return the same hash code. Otherwise hash-based collections like Dictionary and HashSet will behave incorrectly.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public struct Point
{
    public int X, Y;
    public Point(int x, int y) { X = x; Y = y; }
    public static bool operator ==(Point a, Point b) => a.X == b.X && a.Y == b.Y;
    public static bool operator !=(Point a, Point b) => !(a == b);
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Point p && this == p;
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(X, Y);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        var set = new HashSet<Point> { new Point(1, 2) };
        Console.WriteLine(set.Contains(new Point(1, 2)));
    }
}

Ordering Operators < and >

You can also overload the relational operators. As with equality, < and > must be defined together, and likewise <= and >=.

using System;

public struct Weight
{
    public int Grams;
    public Weight(int g) { Grams = g; }

    public static bool operator <(Weight a, Weight b) => a.Grams < b.Grams;
    public static bool operator >(Weight a, Weight b) => a.Grams > b.Grams;

    public override string ToString() => Grams + "g";
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new Weight(100) < new Weight(200));
        Console.WriteLine(new Weight(300) > new Weight(200));
    }
}

Equality for Reference Types

For classes, value equality means comparing fields rather than references. Handle null carefully to avoid throwing inside the operator.

using System;

public class Person
{
    public string Name;
    public Person(string name) { Name = name; }

    public static bool operator ==(Person a, Person b)
    {
        if (ReferenceEquals(a, b)) return true;
        if (a is null || b is null) return false;
        return a.Name == b.Name;
    }
    public static bool operator !=(Person a, Person b) => !(a == b);
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => this == (obj as Person);
    public override int GetHashCode() => Name?.GetHashCode() ?? 0;
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new Person("Ann") == new Person("Ann"));
    }
}

Consistency Across Forms

All equality paths should agree: ==, Equals, and hash code. Implement == in terms of Equals (or vice versa) so there is one source of truth.

using System;

public struct Id
{
    public int Value;
    public Id(int value) { Value = value; }
    public bool Equals(Id other) => Value == other.Value;
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Id other && Equals(other);
    public override int GetHashCode() => Value;
    public static bool operator ==(Id a, Id b) => a.Equals(b);
    public static bool operator !=(Id a, Id b) => !a.Equals(b);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new Id(7) == new Id(7));
        Console.WriteLine(new Id(7).Equals(new Id(8)));
    }
}

Operators vs Equals in Collections

List searching uses Equals, not ==, because it works with object references. If you only overload == and forget Equals, searches will use reference identity and may fail.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public struct Tag
{
    public string Name;
    public Tag(string name) { Name = name; }
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Tag t && t.Name == Name;
    public override int GetHashCode() => Name?.GetHashCode() ?? 0;
    public static bool operator ==(Tag a, Tag b) => a.Equals(b);
    public static bool operator !=(Tag a, Tag b) => !a.Equals(b);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        var list = new List<Tag> { new Tag("red"), new Tag("blue") };
        Console.WriteLine(list.Contains(new Tag("blue")));
    }
}

Suppressing Compiler Warnings Properly

Overriding Equals and GetHashCode alongside operators is not just etiquette; the compiler warns if you overload == without overriding Equals. Doing both removes the warning and prevents bugs.

using System;

public struct Cell
{
    public int Row, Col;
    public Cell(int r, int c) { Row = r; Col = c; }
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Cell c && c.Row == Row && c.Col == Col;
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(Row, Col);
    public static bool operator ==(Cell a, Cell b) => a.Equals(b);
    public static bool operator !=(Cell a, Cell b) => !a.Equals(b);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new Cell(0, 0) == new Cell(0, 0));
    }
}

Putting It All Together

A well-behaved equatable type defines ==, !=, overrides Equals and GetHashCode, and routes them all through one comparison. This is the gold standard for value-like types.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public struct Color
{
    public int R, G, B;
    public Color(int r, int g, int b) { R = r; G = g; B = b; }
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Color c && c.R == R && c.G == G && c.B == B;
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(R, G, B);
    public static bool operator ==(Color a, Color b) => a.Equals(b);
    public static bool operator !=(Color a, Color b) => !a.Equals(b);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        var dict = new Dictionary<Color, string> { [new Color(255, 0, 0)] = "red" };
        Console.WriteLine(dict[new Color(255, 0, 0)]);
    }
}

Try It Yourself

Implement a fully consistent equatable struct and verify it works as a dictionary key and with the == operator at once.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public struct GridPos
{
    public int Row, Col;
    public GridPos(int r, int c) { Row = r; Col = c; }
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is GridPos p && p.Row == Row && p.Col == Col;
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(Row, Col);
    public static bool operator ==(GridPos a, GridPos b) => a.Equals(b);
    public static bool operator !=(GridPos a, GridPos b) => !a.Equals(b);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        var grid = new Dictionary<GridPos, string> { [new GridPos(1, 1)] = "player" };
        Console.WriteLine(new GridPos(1, 1) == new GridPos(1, 1));
        Console.WriteLine(grid[new GridPos(1, 1)]);
    }
}

Quick Check

Recall the rules for overloading equality.

Recap

Overloading comparison operators demands consistency.

  • == and != must be defined together; likewise </>.
  • Override Equals and GetHashCode to match ==.
  • Equal values must share a hash code.
  • Route all equality through one comparison method to avoid drift.

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Overloading Comparison Operators” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Overloading Comparison Operators” is free to read here on the web, and the C# Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the C# Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Overloading Comparison Operators”?

Implement ==, !=, and ordering operators. You practise C# Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start C# Academy?

No prior experience is required. C# Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Overloading Comparison Operators” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this C# Academy lesson?

Yes. Every C# Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Overloading Arithmetic Operators
  2. Overloading Comparison Operators
  3. User-Defined Conversions
  4. Operator Overloading Best Practices
← Back to C# Academy