Differences between C++ string == and compare()?

Question

I just read some recommendations on using std::string s = get_string(); std::string t = another_string(); if( !s.compare(t) ) { instead of if( s == t ) { I'm almost always using the last one because I'm used to it and it feels natural, more readable. I didn't even know that there was a separate comparison function. To be more precise, I thought == would call compare(). **What are the differences? In which contexts should one way be favored to the other?** I'm considering only the cases where I need to know if a string is the same value as another string.

Answer 1

There is no difference. operator== does use string::compare: http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/string/string/operators/

The functions use string::compare for the comparison.

I personally also prefer operator== when equality is all that matters.