比较器Comparator的底层结构浅谈

      查API可知，接口 Comparator<T>存在于java.util包中，可以知道此接口所处的包是非常实用，我们的比较器见名知意，肯定是用于比较的，在Java1.6的API中有这么一句话：public interface Comparator<T>强行对某个collection 进行整体排序 的比较函数，这句话读起来有点绕口，但我们可以知道这个接口是针对于collection的并且对其元素进行比较。我们来看看Comparator<T>的底层：

public interface Comparator<T> {
    /**
     * Compares its two arguments for order.  Returns a negative integer,
     * zero, or a positive integer as the first argument is less than, equal
     * to, or greater than the second.<p>
     *
     * In the foregoing description, the notation
     * <tt>sgn(</tt><i>expression</i><tt>)</tt> designates the mathematical
     * <i>signum</i> function, which is defined to return one of <tt>-1</tt>,
     * <tt>0</tt>, or <tt>1</tt> according to whether the value of
     * <i>expression</i> is negative, zero or positive.<p>
     *
     * The implementor must ensure that <tt>sgn(compare(x, y)) ==
     * -sgn(compare(y, x))</tt> for all <tt>x</tt> and <tt>y</tt>.  (This
     * implies that <tt>compare(x, y)</tt> must throw an exception if and only
     * if <tt>compare(y, x)</tt> throws an exception.)<p>
     *
     * The implementor must also ensure that the relation is transitive:
     * <tt>((compare(x, y)&gt;0) &amp;&amp; (compare(y, z)&gt;0))</tt> implies
     * <tt>compare(x, z)&gt;0</tt>.<p>
     *
     * Finally, the implementor must ensure that <tt>compare(x, y)==0</tt>
     * implies that <tt>sgn(compare(x, z))==sgn(compare(y, z))</tt> for all
     * <tt>z</tt>.<p>
     *
     * It is generally the case, but <i>not</i> strictly required that
     * <tt>(compare(x, y)==0) == (x.equals(y))</tt>.  Generally speaking,
     * any comparator that violates this condition should clearly indicate
     * this fact.  The recommended language is "Note: this comparator
     * imposes orderings that are inconsistent with equals."
     *
     * @param o1 the first object to be compared.
     * @param o2 the second object to be compared.
     * @return a negative integer, zero, or a positive integer as the
     *         first argument is less than, equal to, or greater than the
     *         second.
     * @throws NullPointerException if an argument is null and this
     *         comparator does not permit null arguments
     * @throws ClassCastException if the arguments' types prevent them from
     *         being compared by this comparator.
     */

   我们可以清晰的看到，底层是基于sgn函数进行计算的，由于sgn（x）函数在x大于0的时候为1，等于0的时候为0，小于0的时候为-1，因此能够保证比较的三种状态（大于、等于、小于）。

   Comparator的常见功能是用于排序，但是这个接口不仅仅用于排序，因为API中清楚第介绍了它的两种方法：compare和equals，如下表所示：

int	compare(T o1, T o2)	比较用来排序的两个参数
boolean	equals(object obj)	指示某个其他对象是否“等于”此 Comparator

    很清晰地可见，这两个方法的参数，但是我们并不知道它们是如何作用的，过程是怎么样的，下面我们就来看看这两个方法在底层是怎么实现的。

    对于int compare(T o1, T o2)而言，进入compare的底层可以发现：

int compare(T o1, T o2);

    /**
     * Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this
     * comparator.  This method must obey the general contract of
     * {@link Object#equals(Object)}.  Additionally, this method can return
     * <tt>true</tt> <i>only</i> if the specified object is also a comparator
     * and it imposes the same ordering as this comparator.  Thus,
     * <code>comp1.equals(comp2)</code> implies that <tt>sgn(comp1.compare(o1,
     * o2))==sgn(comp2.compare(o1, o2))</tt> for every object reference
     * <tt>o1</tt> and <tt>o2</tt>.<p>
     *
     * Note that it is <i>always</i> safe <i>not</i> to override
     * <tt>Object.equals(Object)</tt>.  However, overriding this method may,
     * in some cases, improve performance by allowing programs to determine
     * that two distinct comparators impose the same order.
     *
     * @param   obj   the reference object with which to compare.
     * @return  <code>true</code> only if the specified object is also
     *          a comparator and it imposes the same ordering as this
     *          comparator.
     * @see Object#equals(Object)
     * @see Object#hashCode()
     */

对于equals(object obj)而言，进入equals(object obj)的底层可以发现：

boolean equals(Object obj);

    /**
     * Returns a comparator that imposes the reverse ordering of this
     * comparator.
     *
     * @return a comparator that imposes the reverse ordering of this
     *         comparator.
     * @since 1.8
     */