java - Using Recursion with Username matching -

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• how compare strings in java? 23 answers

i implementing string matching algorithm username database. method takes existing username database , new username person wants , checks see if username taken. if taken method supposed return username number isn't taken in database.

example:

"justin","justin1", "justin2", "justin3"

enter "justin"

return: "justin4" since justin , justin numbers 1 thru 3 taken.

in code sample below, newmember returns justin1 though exists--where mistake?

public class username {      static int j = 0;      static string newmember(string[] existingnames, string newname){         boolean match = false;          for(int = 0; < existingnames.length; i++){             if(existingnames[i] == (newname)){                 match = true;             }          }         if(match){             j++;             return newmember(existingnames, newname + j);         }         else{             return newname;          }     }      public static void main(string[] args){          string[] usernames = new string[9];         usernames[0] = "justin1";         usernames[1] = "justin2";         usernames[2] = "justin3";         usernames[3] = "justin";          system.out.println(newmember(usernames, "justin"));          // don't understand why returns justin1 when name taken          // in array.     } } 

this line:

if(existingnames[i] == (newname)){ 

should become

if(existingnames[i].equals(newname)){ 

in general, use equals instead of == strings in java.