code: protected static int compareStrings(int offset_1, int offset_2, ByteBuffer bb) {
      offset_1 += bb.getInt(offset_1);
      offset_2 += bb.getInt(offset_2);
      int len_1 = bb.getInt(offset_1);
      int len_2 = bb.getInt(offset_2);
      int startPos_1 = offset_1 + SIZEOF_INT;
      int startPos_2 = offset_2 + SIZEOF_INT;
      int len = Math.min(len_1, len_2);
      for(int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
        if (bb.get(i + startPos_1) != bb.get(i + startPos_2))
          return bb.get(i + startPos_1) - bb.get(i + startPos_2);
      }
      return len_1 - len_2;
    }
docs: Compare two strings in the buffer.
  
  @param offset_1 An 'int' index of the first string into the bb.
  @param offset_2 An 'int' index of the second string into the bb.
  @param bb A {@code ByteBuffer} to get the strings.