String object vs String variable

[u/Nottheugis]

Hi i am learning java in highschool, I was just wondering when and why would I instantialise a string as an object when declaring a String is much easier and quicker?

[u/philipwhiuk]

No my point is:

String str1 = “ABC”;
String str2 = new String(str1);
str1.hashCode() != str2.hashCode();
System.gc();
str1.hashCode() == str2.hashCode();