NSString: isEqual vs. isEqualToString

Question

What is the difference between isEqual: and isEqualToString:?

Why are classes adding isEqualTo* methods (isEqualToArray for NSArray, isEqua

Answer 1

Expanding on @Abizern and @Jonathan Dann answers, both isEqual and isEqualToString work with nil values.

- (void)testStringEqual {
    NSString *string = nil;

    STAssertFalse([string isEqual:@"test"], @"NSString isEqual");
    STAssertFalse([string isEqualToString:@"test"], @"NSString isEqualToString");

    // Note that these both return NO
    STAssertFalse([string isEqual:nil], @"NSString isEqual");
    STAssertFalse([string isEqualToString:nil], @"NSString isEqualToString");

    string = @"test";

    STAssertTrue([string isEqual:@"test"], @"NSString isEqual");
    STAssertTrue([string isEqualToString:@"test"], @"NSString isEqualToString");

    STAssertFalse([string isEqual:nil], @"NSString isEqual");
    STAssertFalse([string isEqualToString:nil], @"NSString isEqualToString");
}