[#BloombergLP-bdlbb-BlobUtil-compare]
= xref:BloombergLP.adoc[BloombergLP]::xref:BloombergLP/bdlbb.adoc[bdlbb]::xref:BloombergLP/bdlbb/BlobUtil.adoc[BlobUtil]::compare
:relfileprefix: ../../../
:mrdocs:

Compare the data stored by two blobs lexicographically.

== Synopsis

Declared in `<bdlbb_blobutil.h>`

[source,cpp,subs="verbatim,replacements,macros,-callouts"]
----
static
int
compare(
    xref:BloombergLP/bdlbb/Blob.adoc[Blob] const& a,
    xref:BloombergLP/bdlbb/Blob.adoc[Blob] const& b);
----

== Description

Compare, lexicographically, the data (data length and character data values at each index position) stored by the specified `a` and `b` blobs. Return 0 if the data stored by `a` is lexicographically equal to the data stored by `b`, a negative value if `a` is lexicographically less than `b`, and a positive value if `a` is lexicographically greater than `b`.

== Return Value

0 if equal, a negative value if `a` is less than `b`, and a positive value if `a` is greater than `b`

== Parameters

[cols="1,4"]
|===
| Name| Description
| *a*
| first blob
| *b*
| second blob
|===


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