question: returns a hash code value for the object . this method is supported for the benefit of hashtables such as those provided by java.util.hashtable . the general contract of hashcode is : whenever it is invoked on the same object more than once during an execution of a java application , the hashcode method must consistently return the same integer , provided no information used in equals comparisons on the object is modified . this integer need not remain consistent from one execution of an application to another execution of the same application . if two objects are equal according to the equals object method , then calling the hashcode method on each of the two objects must produce the same integer result . it is not required that if two objects are unequal according to the object #equals object method , thencalling the hashcode method on each of the two objects must produce distinct integer results . however , the programmer should be aware that producing distinct integer results for unequal objects may improve the performance of hashtables . as much as is reasonably practical , the hashcode method defined by class object does return distinct integers for distinct objects . this is typically implemented by converting the internal address of the object into an integer , but this implementation technique is not required by the javatm programming language . concode_field_sep int nodeType concode_field_sep boolean equals concode_elem_sep int getNodeType concode_elem_sep String toString concode_elem_sep String getString concode_elem_sep void setNodeType
target: int function ( ) { return this . nodeType ; }