public class Main {
public static void main(String[] argv) throws Exception {
String s1 = "s1", s3 = "s3";
int i = s1.compareToIgnoreCase(s3); // -1
if (i < 0) {
System.out.println("s1 precedes s3");
} else if (i > 0) {
System.out.println("s1 follows s3");
} else {
System.out.println("s1 equals s3");
}
}
}