How can't we compare two enum values with '<'?

Question

If enum implements Comparable so why can't compare with < or >?

public class Dream     {     public static void main(String... args)     {         System.out.println(PinSize.BIG == PinSize.BIGGER); //false         System.out.println(PinSize.BIG == PinSize.BIG); //true         System.out.println(PinSize.BIG.equals(PinSize.BIGGER));//false         System.out.println(PinSize.BIG > PinSize.BIGGERER);// compilation error         //can't be compared         System.out.println(PinSize.BIG.toString().equals(PinSize.BIGGER));// #4         PinSize b = PinSize.BIG ;         System.out.println( b instanceof Comparable);// true     }   } enum PinSize { BIG, BIGGER, BIGGERER }; 

Answer 1

You can do this:

PinSize.BIGGEST.ordinal() > PinSize.BIG.ordinal()  // evaluates to `true` 

Of course, assuming that BIGGEST was declared after BIG in the enumeration. The ordinal value in an enumeration is implicitly tied to the declaration order, by default the first value is assigned value 0, the second value 1 and so on.

So if yo declared the enumeration like this, things will work:

public enum PinSize {     SMALLEST,  // ordinal value: 0     SMALL,     // ordinal value: 1     NORMAL,    // ordinal value: 2     BIG,       // ordinal value: 3     BIGGER,    // ordinal value: 4     BIGGEST;   // ordinal value: 5 }