"String functions" redirects here. For string functions in formal language theory, see String operations. Further information: Comparison of programming languages
String functions are used in computer programming languages to manipulate a string or query information about a string (some do both).
Most programming languages that have a string datatype will have some string functions although there may be other low-level ways within each language to handle strings directly. In object-oriented languages, string functions are often implemented as properties and methods of string objects. In functional and list-based languages a string is represented as a list (of character codes), therefore all list-manipulation procedures could be considered string functions. However such languages may implement a subset of explicit string-specific functions as well.
For function that manipulate strings, modern object-oriented languages, like C# and Java have immutable strings and return a copy (in newly allocated dynamic memory), while others, like C manipulate the original string unless the programmer copies data to a new string. See for example Concatenation below.
The most basic example of a string function is the length(string)
function. This function returns the length of a string literal.
- e.g.
length("hello world")
would return 11.
Other languages may have string functions with similar or exactly the same syntax or parameters or outcomes. For example, in many languages the length function is usually represented as len(string). The below list of common functions aims to help limit this confusion.
Common string functions (multi language reference)
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
String functions common to many languages are listed below, including the different names used. The below list of common functions aims to help programmers find the equivalent function in a language. Note, string concatenation and regular expressions are handled in separate pages. Statements in guillemets (« … ») are optional.
CharAt
Definition | charAt(string,integer) returns character.
|
---|---|
Description | Returns character at index in the string. |
Equivalent | See substring of length 1 character. |
Format | Languages | Base index |
---|---|---|
string
|
ALGOL 68, APL, Julia, Pascal, Object Pascal (Delphi), Seed7 | 1 |
string
|
C, C++, C#, Cobra, D, FreeBASIC, Go, Python, PHP, Ruby, Windows PowerShell, JavaScript, APL | 0 |
string{i}
|
PHP (deprecated in 5.3) | 0 |
string(i)
|
Ada | ≥1 |
Mid(string,i,1)
|
VB | 1 |
MID$(string,i,1)
|
BASIC | 1 |
string.Chars(i)
|
VB.NET | 0 |
string(i:i)
|
Fortran | 1 |
string.charAt(i)
|
Java, JavaScript | 0 |
string.
|
OCaml, F# | 0 |
string.chars().nth(i)
|
Rust | 0 |
string
|
Pick Basic | 1 |
String.sub (string, i)
|
Standard ML | 0 |
string !! i
|
Haskell | 0 |
(string-ref string i)
|
Scheme | 0 |
(char string i)
|
Common Lisp | 0 |
(elt string i)
|
ISLISP | 0 |
(get string i)
|
Clojure | 0 |
substr(string, i, 1)
|
Perl 5 | 0 |
substr(string, i, 1) string.substr(i, 1)
|
Raku | 0 |
substr(string, i, 1)
|
PL/I | 1 |
string.at(i)
|
C++ (STL) (w/ bounds checking) | 0 |
lists:nth(i, string)
|
Erlang | 1 |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
0 |
string.sub(string, i, i) (string):sub(i, i)
|
Lua | 1 |
string at: i
|
Smalltalk (w/ bounds checking) | 1 |
string index string i
|
Tcl | 0 |
StringTake
|
Mathematica, Wolfram Language | 1 |
string@i
|
Eiffel | 1 |
string (i:1)
|
COBOL | 1 |
${string_param:i:1}
|
Bash | 0 |
i⌷string
|
APL | 0 or 1 |
{ Example in Pascal } var MyStr: string = 'Hello, World'; MyChar: Char; begin MyChar := MyStr; // 'e'
# Example in ALGOL 68 # "Hello, World"; // 'e'
// Example in C #include <stdio.h> // for printf char MyStr = "Hello, World"; printf("%c", *(MyStr+1)); // 'e' printf("%c", *(MyStr+7)); // 'W' printf("%c", MyStr); // 'd' printf("%s", MyStr); // 'Hello, World' printf("%s", "Hello(2), World(2)"); // 'Hello(2), World(2)'
// Example in C++ #include <iostream> // for "cout" #include <string.h> // for "string" data type using namespace std; char MyStr1 = "Hello(1), World(1)"; string MyStr2 = "Hello(2), World(2)"; cout << "Hello(3), World(3)"; // 'Hello(3), World(3)' cout << MyStr2; // '2' cout << MyStr1.substr (5, 3); // '(1)'
// Example in C# "Hello, World"; // 'l'
# Example in Perl 5 substr("Hello, World", 1, 1); # 'e'
# Examples in Python "Hello, World" # 'l' "Hello, World" # 'r'
# Example in Raku "Hello, World".substr(1, 1); # 'e'
' Example in Visual Basic Mid("Hello, World",2,1)
' Example in Visual Basic .NET "Hello, World".Chars(2) ' "l"c
" Example in Smalltalk " 'Hello, World' at: 2. "$e"
//Example in Rust "Hello, World".chars().nth(2); // Some('l')
Compare (integer result)
Definition | compare(string1,string2) returns integer.
|
---|---|
Description | Compares two strings to each other. If they are equivalent, a zero is returned. Otherwise, most of these routines will return a positive or negative result corresponding to whether string1 is lexicographically greater than, or less than, respectively, than string2. The exceptions are the Scheme and Rexx routines which return the index of the first mismatch, and Smalltalk which answer a comparison code telling how the receiver sorts relative to string parameter. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
IF string1<string2 THEN -1 ELSE ABS (string1>string2) FI
|
ALGOL 68 |
cmp(string1, string2)
|
Python 2 |
(string1 > string2) - (string1 < string2)
|
Python |
strcmp(string1, string2)
|
C, PHP |
std.string.cmp(string1, string2)
|
D |
StrComp(string1, string2)
|
VB, Object Pascal (Delphi) |
string1 cmp string2
|
Perl, Raku |
string1 compare: string2
|
Smalltalk (Squeak, Pharo) |
string1 <=> string2
|
Ruby, C++ (STL, C++20) |
string1.compare(string2)
|
C++ (STL), Swift (Foundation) |
compare(string1, string2)
|
Rexx, Seed7 |
CompareStr(string1, string2)
|
Pascal, Object Pascal (Delphi) |
string1.compareTo(string2)
|
Cobra, Java |
string1.CompareTo(string2)
|
VB .NET, C#, F# |
(compare string1 string2)
|
Clojure |
(string= string1 string2)
|
Common Lisp |
(string-compare string1 string2 p< p= p>)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) |
(string= string1 string2)
|
ISLISP |
compare string1 string2
|
OCaml |
String.compare (string1, string2)
|
Standard ML |
compare string1 string2
|
Haskell |
::Compare(string1, string2)
|
Windows PowerShell |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
LLT(string1,string2) LLE(string1,string2) LGT(string1,string2) LGE(string1,string2)
|
Fortran |
string1.localeCompare(string2)
|
JavaScript |
bytes.Compare(byte(string1), byte(string2))
|
Go |
string compare string1 string2
|
Tcl |
compare(string1,string2,count)
|
PL/I |
string1.cmp(string2)
|
Rust |
# Example in Perl 5 "hello" cmp "world"; # returns -1
# Example in Python cmp("hello", "world") # returns -1
# Examples in Raku "hello" cmp "world"; # returns Less "world" cmp "hello"; # returns More "hello" cmp "hello"; # returns Same
/** Example in Rexx */ compare("hello", "world") /* returns index of mismatch: 1 */
; Example in Scheme (use-modules (srfi srfi-13)) ; returns index of mismatch: 0 (string-compare "hello" "world" values values values)
Compare (relational operator-based, Boolean result)
Definition | string1 OP string2 OR (compare string1 string2) returns Boolean.
|
---|---|
Description | Lexicographically compares two strings using a relational operator or function. Boolean result returned. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of =, <>, <, >, <= and >=
|
Pascal, Object Pascal (Delphi), OCaml, Seed7, Standard ML, BASIC, VB, VB .NET, F# |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of =, /=, ≠, <, >, <=, ≤ and ≥ ; Also: EQ, NE, LT, LE, GE and GT
|
ALGOL 68 |
(stringOP? string1 string2) , where OP can be any of =, -ci=, <, -ci<, >, -ci>, <=, -ci<=, >= and -ci>= (operators starting with '-ci ' are case-insensitive)
|
Scheme |
(stringOP string1 string2) , where OP can be any of =, -ci=, <>, -ci<>, <, -ci<, >, -ci>, <=, -ci<=, >= and -ci>= (operators starting with '-ci ' are case-insensitive)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) |
(stringOP string1 string2) , where OP can be any of =, -equal, /=, -not-equal, <, -lessp, >, -greaterp, <=, -not-greaterp, >= and -not-lessp (the verbal operators are case-insensitive)
|
Common Lisp |
(stringOP string1 string2) , where OP can be any of =, /=, <, >, <=, and >=
|
ISLISP |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of =, \=, <, >, <= and >=
|
Rexx |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of =, ¬=, <, >, <=, >=, ¬< and ¬>
|
PL/I |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of =, /=, <, >, <= and >=
|
Ada |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of ==, /=, <, >, =< and >=
|
Erlang |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of ==, /=, <, >, <= and >=
|
Haskell |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of eq, ne, lt, gt, le and ge
|
Perl, Raku |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of ==, !=, <, >, <= and >=
|
C++ (STL), C#, D, Go, JavaScript, Python, PHP, Ruby, Rust, Swift |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of -eq, -ceq, -ne, -cne, -lt, -clt, -gt, -cgt, -le, -cle, -ge, and -cge (operators starting with 'c ' are case-sensitive)
|
Windows PowerShell |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of ==, ~=, <, >, <= and >=
|
Lua |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of =, ~=, <, >, <= and >=
|
Smalltalk |
string1 OP string2 , where OP can be any of ==, /=, <, >, <= and >=; Also: .EQ., .NE., .LT., .LE., .GT. and .GE.
|
Fortran. |
string1 OP string2 where OP can be any of =, <>, <, >, <=, >= as well as worded equivalents
|
COBOL |
string1 OP string2 where OP can be any of ==, <>, <, >, <= and >=
|
Cobra |
string1 OP string2 is available in the syntax, but means comparison of the pointers pointing to the strings, not of the string contents. Use the Compare (integer result) function.
|
C, Java |
string1.METHOD(string2) where METHOD is any of eq , ne , gt , lt , ge , le
|
Rust |
% Example in Erlang "hello" > "world". % returns false
# Example in Raku "art" gt "painting"; # returns False "art" lt "painting"; # returns True
# Example in Windows PowerShell "hello" -gt "world" # returns false
;; Example in Common Lisp (string> "art" "painting") ; returns nil (string< "art" "painting") ; returns non nil
Concatenation
See also: ConcatenationDefinition | concatenate(string1,string2) returns string.
|
---|---|
Description | Concatenates (joins) two strings to each other, returning the combined string. Note that some languages like C have mutable strings, so really the second string is being appended to the first string and the mutated string is returned. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string1 & string2
|
Ada, FreeBASIC, Seed7, BASIC, VB, VB .NET, COBOL (between literals only) |
strcat(string1, string2)
|
C, C++ (char * only)
|
string1 . string2
|
Perl, PHP |
string1 + string2
|
ALGOL 68, C++ (STL), C#, Cobra, FreeBASIC, Go, Pascal, Object Pascal (Delphi), Java, JavaScript, Windows PowerShell, Python, Ruby, Rust, F#, Swift, Turing, VB |
string1 ~ string2
|
D, Raku |
(string-append string1 string2)
|
Scheme, ISLISP |
(concatenate 'string string1 string2)
|
Common Lisp |
(str string1 string2)
|
Clojure |
string1 || string2
|
Rexx, SQL, PL/I |
string1 // string2
|
Fortran |
string1 ++ string2
|
Erlang, Haskell |
string1 ^ string2
|
OCaml, Standard ML, F# |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
string1 .. string2
|
Lua |
string1 , string2
|
Smalltalk, APL |
string1 string2
|
SNOBOL |
string1string2
|
Bash |
string1 <> string2
|
Mathematica |
concat string1 string2 | Tcl |
{ Example in Pascal } 'abc' + 'def'; // returns "abcdef"
// Example in C# "abc" + "def"; // returns "abcdef"
' Example in Visual Basic "abc" & "def" ' returns "abcdef" "abc" + "def" ' returns "abcdef" "abc" & Null ' returns "abc" "abc" + Null ' returns Null
// Example in D "abc" ~ "def"; // returns "abcdef"
;; Example in common lisp (concatenate 'string "abc " "def " "ghi") ; returns "abc def ghi"
# Example in Perl 5 "abc" . "def"; # returns "abcdef" "Perl " . 5; # returns "Perl 5"
# Example in Raku "abc" ~ "def"; # returns "abcdef" "Perl " ~ 6; # returns "Perl 6"
Contains
Definition | contains(string,substring) returns boolean
|
---|---|
Description | Returns whether string contains substring as a substring. This is equivalent to using Find and then detecting that it does not result in the failure condition listed in the third column of the Find section. However, some languages have a simpler way of expressing this test. |
Related | Find |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string_in_string(string, loc int, substring)
|
ALGOL 68 |
ContainsStr(string, substring)
|
Object Pascal (Delphi) |
strstr(string, substring) != NULL
|
C, C++ (char * only)
|
string.Contains(substring)
|
C#, VB .NET, Windows PowerShell, F# |
string.contains(substring)
|
Cobra, Java (1.5+), Raku, Rust, C++ (C++23) |
string.indexOf(substring) >= 0
|
JavaScript |
strpos(string, substring) !== false
|
PHP |
str_contains(string, substring)
|
PHP (8+) |
pos(string, substring) <> 0
|
Seed7 |
substring in string
|
Cobra, Python (2.3+) |
string.find(string, substring) ~= nil
|
Lua |
string.include?(substring)
|
Ruby |
Data.List.isInfixOf substring string
|
Haskell (GHC 6.6+) |
string includesSubstring: substring
|
Smalltalk (Squeak, Pharo, Smalltalk/X) |
String.isSubstring substring string
|
Standard ML |
(search substring string)
|
Common Lisp |
(not (null (string-index substring string)))
|
ISLISP |
(substring? substring string)
|
Clojure |
! StringFreeQ
|
Mathematica |
index(string, substring, startpos)>0
|
Fortran, PL/I |
index(string, substring, occurrence)>0
|
Pick Basic |
strings.Contains(string, substring)
|
Go |
string.find(substring) != string::npos
|
C++ |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only, iOS 8+/OS X 10.10+)
|
string.rangeOfString(substring) != nil
|
Swift (Foundation) |
∨/substring⍷string
|
APL |
¢ Example in ALGOL 68 ¢ string in string("e", loc int, "Hello mate"); ¢ returns true ¢ string in string("z", loc int, "word"); ¢ returns false ¢
// Example In C# "Hello mate".Contains("e"); // returns true "word".Contains("z"); // returns false
# Example in Python "e" in "Hello mate" # returns true "z" in "word" # returns false
# Example in Raku "Good morning!".contains('z') # returns False "¡Buenos días!".contains('í'); # returns True
" Example in Smalltalk " 'Hello mate' includesSubstring: 'e' " returns true " 'word' includesSubstring: 'z' " returns false "
Equality
Tests if two strings are equal. See also #Compare and #Compare. Note that doing equality checks via a generic Compare with integer result is not only confusing for the programmer but is often a significantly more expensive operation; this is especially true when using "C-strings".
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string1 == string2
|
Python, C++ (STL), C#, Cobra, Go, JavaScript (similarity), PHP (similarity), Ruby, Rust, Erlang, Haskell, Lua, D, Mathematica, Swift |
string1 === string2
|
JavaScript, PHP |
string1 == string2 string1 .EQ. string2
|
Fortran |
strcmp(string1, string2) == 0
|
C |
(string=? string1 string2)
|
Scheme |
(string= string1 string2)
|
Common Lisp, ISLISP |
string1 = string2
|
ALGOL 68, Ada, Object Pascal (Delphi), OCaml, Pascal, Rexx, Seed7, Standard ML, BASIC, VB, VB .NET, F#, Smalltalk, PL/I, COBOL |
test string1 = string2
|
Bourne Shell |
string1 eq string2
|
Perl, Raku, Tcl |
string1.equals(string2)
|
Cobra, Java |
string1.Equals(string2)
|
C# |
string1 -eq string2 ::Equals(string1, string2)
|
Windows PowerShell |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
string1 ≡ string2
|
APL |
string1.eq(string2)
|
Rust |
// Example in C# "hello" == "world" // returns false
' Example in Visual Basic "hello" = "world" ' returns false
# Examples in Perl 5 'hello' eq 'world' # returns 0 'hello' eq 'hello' # returns 1
# Examples in Raku 'hello' eq 'world' # returns False 'hello' eq 'hello' # returns True
# Example in Windows PowerShell "hello" -eq "world" # returns false
⍝ Example in APL 'hello' ≡ 'world' ⍝ returns 0
Find
Definition | find(string,substring) returns integer
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the position of the start of the first occurrence of substring in string. If the substring is not found most of these routines return an invalid index value – -1 where indexes are 0-based, 0 where they are 1-based – or some value to be interpreted as Boolean FALSE. |
Related | instrrev |
Format | Languages | If not found |
---|---|---|
string in string(substring, pos, string)
|
ALGOL 68 | returns BOOL: TRUE or FALSE, and position in REF INT pos. |
InStr(«startpos,»string,substring)
|
VB (positions start at 1) | returns 0 |
INSTR$(string,substring)
|
BASIC (positions start at 1) | returns 0 |
index(string,substring)
|
AWK | returns 0 |
index(string,substring«,startpos»)
|
Perl 5 | returns −1 |
index(string,substring«,startpos») string.index(substring,«,startpos»)
|
Raku | returns Nil |
instr(«startpos,»string,substring)
|
FreeBASIC | returns 0 |
strpos(string,substring«,startpos»)
|
PHP | returns FALSE |
locate(string, substring)
|
Ingres | returns string length + 1 |
strstr(string, substring)
|
C, C++ (char * only, returns pointer to first character)
|
returns NULL |
std.string.indexOf(string, substring)
|
D | returns −1 |
pos(string, substring«, startpos»)
|
Seed7 | returns 0 |
strings.Index(string, substring)
|
Go | returns −1 |
pos(substring, string)
|
Pascal, Object Pascal (Delphi) | returns 0 |
pos(substring, string«,startpos»)
|
Rexx | returns 0 |
string.find(substring«,startpos»)
|
C++ (STL) | returns std::string::npos |
string.find(substring«,startpos«,endpos»»)
|
Python | returns −1 |
string.index(substring«,startpos«,endpos»»)
|
raises ValueError | |
string.index(substring«,startpos»)
|
Ruby | returns nil |
string.indexOf(substring«,startpos»)
|
Java, JavaScript | returns −1 |
string.IndexOf(substring«,startpos«, charcount»»)
|
VB .NET, C#, Windows PowerShell, F# | returns −1 |
string:str(string, substring)
|
Erlang | returns 0 |
(string-contains string substring)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) | returns #f |
(search substring string)
|
Common Lisp | returns NIL |
(string-index substring string)
|
ISLISP | returns nil
|
List.findIndex (List.isPrefixOf substring) (List.tails string)
|
Haskell (returns only index) | returns Nothing |
Str.search_forward (Str.regexp_string substring) string 0
|
OCaml | raises Not_found |
Substring.size (#1 (Substring.position substring (Substring.full string)))
|
Standard ML | returns string length |
.location
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
returns NSNotFound |
string.find(string, substring) (string):find(substring)
|
Lua | returns nil |
string indexOfSubCollection: substring startingAt: startpos ifAbsent: aBlock string findString: substring startingAt: startpos
|
Smalltalk (Squeak, Pharo) | evaluate aBlock which is a block closure (or any object understanding value) returns 0 |
startpos = INDEX(string, substring «,back» «, kind»)
|
Fortran | returns 0 if substring is not in string; returns LEN(string)+1 if substring is empty |
POSITION(substring IN string)
|
SQL | returns 0 (positions start at 1) |
index(string, substring, startpos )
|
PL/I | returns 0 (positions start at 1) |
index(string, substring, occurrence )
|
Pick Basic | returns 0 if occurrence of substring is not in string; (positions start at 1) |
string.indexOf(substring«,startpos«, charcount»»)
|
Cobra | returns −1 |
string first substring string startpos
|
Tcl | returns −1 |
(substring⍷string)⍳1
|
APL | returns 1 + the last position in string |
string.find(substring)
|
Rust | returns None
|
Examples
- Common Lisp
(search "e" "Hello mate") ; returns 1 (search "z" "word") ; returns NIL
- C#
"Hello mate".IndexOf("e"); // returns 1 "Hello mate".IndexOf("e", 4); // returns 9 "word".IndexOf("z"); // returns -1
- Raku
"Hello, there!".index('e') # returns 1 "Hello, there!".index('z') # returns Nil
- Scheme
(use-modules (srfi srfi-13)) (string-contains "Hello mate" "e") ; returns 1 (string-contains "word" "z") ; returns #f
- Visual Basic
' Examples in InStr("Hello mate", "e") ' returns 2 InStr(5, "Hello mate", "e") ' returns 10 InStr("word", "z") ' returns 0
- Smalltalk
'Hello mate' indexOfSubCollection:'ate' "returns 8"
'Hello mate' indexOfSubCollection:'late' "returns 0"
I'Hello mate' indexOfSubCollection:'late' ifAbsent: "returns 99"
'Hello mate' indexOfSubCollection:'late' ifAbsent: "raises an exception"
Find character
Definition | find_character(string,char) returns integer
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the position of the start of the first occurrence of the character char in string. If the character is not found most of these routines return an invalid index value – -1 where indexes are 0-based, 0 where they are 1-based – or some value to be interpreted as Boolean FALSE. This can be accomplished as a special case of #Find, with a string of one character; but it may be simpler or more efficient in many languages to locate just one character. Also, in many languages, characters and strings are different types, so it is convenient to have such a function. |
Related | find |
Format | Languages | If not found |
---|---|---|
char in string(char, pos, string)
|
ALGOL 68 | returns BOOL: TRUE or FALSE, and position in REF INT pos. |
instr(string, any char«,startpos») (char, can contain more them one char, in which case the position of the first appearance of any of them is returned.)
|
FreeBASIC | returns 0 |
strchr(string,char)
|
C, C++ (char * only, returns pointer to character)
|
returns NULL |
std.string.find(string, dchar)
|
D | returns −1 |
string.find(char«,startpos»)
|
C++ (STL) | returns std::string::npos |
pos(string, char«, startpos»)
|
Seed7 | returns 0 |
strings.IndexRune(string,char)
|
Go | returns −1 |
string.indexOf(char«,startpos»)
|
Java, JavaScript | returns −1 |
string.IndexOf(char«,startpos«, charcount»»)
|
VB .NET, C#, Windows PowerShell, F# | returns −1 |
(position char string)
|
Common Lisp | returns NIL |
(char-index char string)
|
ISLISP | returns nil |
List.elemIndex char string
|
Haskell (returns Just index )
|
returns Nothing |
String.index string char
|
OCaml | raises Not_found |
position = SCAN (string, set «, back» «, kind») position = VERIFY (string, set «, back» «, kind»)
|
Fortran | returns zero |
string indexOf: char ifAbsent: aBlock string indexOf: char string includes: char
|
Smalltalk | evaluate aBlock which is a BlockClosure (or any object understanding value)returns 0 returns true or false
|
index(string, char, startpos )
|
PL/I | returns 0 (positions start at 1) |
string.index(?char)
|
Ruby | returns nil |
strpos(string,char,startpos)
|
PHP | returns false |
string.indexOf(char«,startpos«, charcount»»)
|
Cobra | returns −1 |
string⍳char
|
APL | returns 1 + the last position in string |
string.find(substring)
|
Rust | returns None |
// Examples in C# "Hello mate".IndexOf('e'); // returns 1 "word".IndexOf('z') // returns -1
; Examples in Common Lisp (position #\e "Hello mate") ; returns 1 (position #\z "word") ; returns NIL
^a Given a set of characters, SCAN returns the position of the first character found, while VERIFY returns the position of the first character that does not belong to the set.
Format
See also: printf format stringDefinition | format(formatstring, items) returns string
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the formatted string representation of one or more items. |
Format | Languages | Format string syntax |
---|---|---|
associate(file, string); putf(file, $formatstring$, items)
|
ALGOL 68 | ALGOL |
Format(item, formatstring)
|
VB |
|
sprintf(formatstring, items)
|
Perl, PHP, Raku, Ruby | C |
item.fmt(formatstring)
|
Raku | C |
io_lib:format(formatstring, items)
|
Erlang |
|
sprintf(outputstring, formatstring, items)
|
C | C |
std::format(formatstring, items)
|
C++ (C++20) | Python |
std.string.format(formatstring, items)
|
D | C |
Format(formatstring, items)
|
Object Pascal (Delphi) |
|
fmt.Sprintf(formatstring, items)
|
Go | C |
printf formatstring items
|
Unix | C |
formatstring % (items)
|
Python, Ruby | C |
formatstring.format(items)
|
Python | .NET |
fformatstring
|
Python 3 | |
Printf.sprintf formatstring items
|
OCaml, F# | C |
Text.Printf.printf formatstring items
|
Haskell (GHC) | C |
formatstring printf: items
|
Smalltalk | C |
String.format(formatstring, items)
|
Java | C |
String.Format(formatstring, items)
|
VB .NET, C#, F# | .NET |
(format formatstring items)
|
Scheme (SRFI 28) | Lisp |
(format nil formatstring items)
|
Common Lisp | Lisp |
(format formatstring items)
|
Clojure | Lisp |
formatstring -f items
|
Windows PowerShell | .NET |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
C |
String(format:formatstring, items)
|
Swift (Foundation) | C |
string.format(formatstring, items) (formatstring):format(items)
|
Lua | C |
WRITE (outputstring, formatstring) items
|
Fortran | Fortran |
put string(string) edit(items)(format)
|
PL/I | PL/I (similar to Fortran) |
String.format(formatstring, items)
|
Cobra | .NET |
format formatstring items
|
Tcl | C |
formatnumbers ⍕ items formatstring ⎕FMT items
|
APL | APL |
format!(formatstring, items)
|
Rust | Python |
// Example in C# String.Format("My {0} costs {1:C2}", "pen", 19.99); // returns "My pen costs $19.99"
// Example in Object Pascal (Delphi) Format('My %s costs $%2f', ); // returns "My pen costs $19.99"
// Example in Java String.format("My %s costs $%2f", "pen", 19.99); // returns "My pen costs $19.99"
# Examples in Raku sprintf "My %s costs \$%.2f", "pen", 19.99; # returns "My pen costs $19.99" 1.fmt("%04d"); # returns "0001"
# Example in Python "My %s costs $%.2f" % ("pen", 19.99); # returns "My pen costs $19.99" "My {0} costs ${1:.2f}".format("pen", 19.99); # returns "My pen costs $19.99"
#Example in Python 3.6+ pen = "pen" f"My {pen} costs {19.99}" #returns "My pen costs 19.99"
; Example in Scheme (format "My ~a costs $~1,2F" "pen" 19.99) ; returns "My pen costs $19.99"
/* example in PL/I */ put string(some_string) edit('My ', 'pen', ' costs', 19.99)(a,a,a,p'$$$V.99') /* returns "My pen costs $19.99" */
Inequality
Tests if two strings are not equal. See also #Equality.
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string1 ne string2 string1 NE string2
|
ALGOL 68 – note: the operator "ne" is literally in bold type-font. |
string1 /= string2
|
ALGOL 68, Ada, Erlang, Fortran, Haskell |
string1 <> string2
|
BASIC, VB, VB .NET, Pascal, Object Pascal (Delphi), OCaml, PHP, Seed7, Standard ML, F#, COBOL, Cobra, Python 2 (deprecated) |
string1 # string2
|
BASIC (some implementations) |
string1 ne string2
|
Perl, Raku |
(string<> string1 string2)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) |
(string/= string1 string2)
|
Common Lisp |
(string/= string1 string2)
|
ISLISP |
(not= string1 string2)
|
Clojure |
string1 != string2
|
C++ (STL), C#, Go, JavaScript (not similar), PHP (not similar), Python, Ruby, Rust, Swift, D, Mathematica |
string1 !== string2
|
JavaScript, PHP |
string1 \= string2
|
Rexx |
string1 ¬= string2
|
PL/I |
test string1 != string2
|
Bourne Shell |
string1 -ne string2 -not ::Equals(string1, string2)
|
Windows PowerShell |
string1 ~= string2
|
Lua, Smalltalk |
string1 ≢ string2
|
APL |
string1.ne(string2)
|
Rust |
// Example in C# "hello" != "world" // returns true
' Example in Visual Basic "hello" <> "world" ' returns true
;; Example in Clojure (not= "hello" "world") ; ⇒ true
# Example in Perl 5 'hello' ne 'world' # returns 1
# Example in Raku 'hello' ne 'world' # returns True
# Example in Windows PowerShell "hello" -ne "world" # returns true
index
see #Find
indexof
see #Find
instr
see #Find
instrrev
see #rfind
join
Definition | join(separator, list_of_strings) returns a list of strings joined with a separator
|
---|---|
Description | Joins the list of strings into a new string, with the separator string between each of the substrings. Opposite of split. |
Related | sprintf |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
std.string.join(array_of_strings, separator)
|
D |
string:join(list_of_strings, separator)
|
Erlang |
join(separator, list_of_strings)
|
Perl, PHP, Raku |
implode(separator, array_of_strings)
|
PHP |
separator.join(sequence_of_strings)
|
Python, Swift 1.x |
array_of_strings.join(separator)
|
Ruby, JavaScript, Raku, Rust |
(string-join array_of_strings separator)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) |
(format nil "~{~a~^separator~}" array_of_strings)
|
Common Lisp |
(clojure.string/join separator list_of_strings) (apply str (interpose separator list_of_strings))
|
Clojure |
strings.Join(array_of_strings, separator)
|
Go |
join(array_of_strings, separator)
|
Seed7 |
String.concat separator list_of_strings
|
OCaml |
String.concatWith separator list_of_strings
|
Standard ML |
Data.List.intercalate separator list_of_strings
|
Haskell (GHC 6.8+) |
Join(array_of_strings, separator)
|
VB |
String.Join(separator, array_of_strings)
|
VB .NET, C#, F# |
String.join(separator, array_of_strings)
|
Java 8+ |
&{$OFS=$separator; "$array_of_strings"} array_of_strings -join separator
|
Windows PowerShell |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
table.concat(table_of_strings, separator)
|
Lua |
{|String streamContents: collectionOfAnything joinUsing: separator
|
Smalltalk (Squeak, Pharo) |
array_of_strings.join(separator«, final_separator»)
|
Cobra |
sequence_of_strings.joinWithSeparator(separator)
|
Swift 2.x |
1↓∊separator,¨list_of_strings
|
APL |
// Example in C# String.Join("-", {"a", "b", "c"}) // "a-b-c"
" Example in Smalltalk " #('a' 'b' 'c') joinUsing: '-' " 'a-b-c' "
# Example in Perl 5 join( '-', ('a', 'b', 'c')); # 'a-b-c'
# Example in Raku <a b c>.join('-'); # 'a-b-c'
# Example in Python "-".join() # 'a-b-c'
# Example in Ruby .join("-") # 'a-b-c'
; Example in Scheme (use-modules (srfi srfi-13)) (string-join '("a" "b" "c") "-") ; "a-b-c"
lastindexof
see #rfind
left
Definition | left(string,n) returns string
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the left n part of a string. If n is greater than the length of the string then most implementations return the whole string (exceptions exist – see code examples). Note that for variable-length encodings such as UTF-8, UTF-16 or Shift-JIS, it can be necessary to remove string positions at the end, in order to avoid invalid strings. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string (string'First .. string'First + n - 1)
|
Ada |
substr(string, 0, n)
|
AWK (changes string), Perl, PHP, Raku |
LEFT$(string,n)
|
BASIC, VB |
left(string,n)
|
VB, FreeBASIC, Ingres, Pick Basic |
strncpy(string2, string, n)
|
C standard library |
string.substr(0,n)
|
C++ (STL), Raku |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
(apply str (take n string))
|
Clojure |
string
|
D |
string:substr(string, start, length)
|
Erlang |
(subseq string 0 n)
|
Common Lisp |
string
|
Cobra, Go, Python |
left(string,n «,padchar»)
|
Rexx, Erlang |
string string
|
Ruby |
string
|
Pick Basic |
string
|
Seed7 |
string.Substring(0,n)
|
VB .NET, C#, Windows PowerShell, F# |
leftstr(string, n)
|
Pascal, Object Pascal (Delphi) |
copy (string,1,n)
|
Turbo Pascal |
string.substring(0,n)
|
Java, JavaScript |
(string-take string n)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) |
take n string
|
Haskell |
String.extract (string, n, NONE)
|
Standard ML |
String.sub string 0 n
|
OCaml |
string.
|
F# |
string.sub(string, 1, n) (string):sub(1, n)
|
Lua |
string first: n
|
Smalltalk (Squeak, Pharo) |
string(:n)
|
Fortran |
StringTake
|
Mathematica |
string («FUNCTION» LENGTH(string) - n:n)
|
COBOL |
string.substring(0, n)
|
Cobra |
n↑string.
|
APL |
string string string.get(0..n) string.get(..n)
|
Rust |
# Example in Raku "Hello, there!".substr(0, 6); # returns "Hello,"
/* Examples in Rexx */ left("abcde", 3) /* returns "abc" */ left("abcde", 8) /* returns "abcde " */ left("abcde", 8, "*") /* returns "abcde***" */
; Examples in Scheme (use-modules (srfi srfi-13)) (string-take "abcde", 3) ; returns "abc" (string-take "abcde", 8) ; error
' Examples in Visual Basic Left("sandroguidi", 3) ' returns "san" Left("sandroguidi", 100) ' returns "sandroguidi"
len
see #length
length
Definition | length(string) returns an integer number
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the length of a string (not counting the null terminator or any other of the string's internal structural information). An empty string returns a length of 0. |
Format | Returns | Languages |
---|---|---|
string'Length
|
|
Ada |
UPB string
|
|
ALGOL 68 |
echo "${#string_param}"
|
|
Bash |
length(string)
|
|
Ingres, Perl 5, Pascal, Object Pascal (Delphi), Rexx, Seed7, SQL, PL/I |
len(string)
|
|
BASIC, FreeBASIC, Python, Go, Pick Basic |
length(string), string:len(string)
|
|
Erlang |
Len(string)
|
|
VB, Pick Basic |
string.Length
|
Number of UTF-16 code units | VB .NET, C#, Windows PowerShell, F# |
chars(string) string.chars
|
Number of graphemes (NFG) | Raku |
codes(string) string.codes
|
Number of Unicode code points | Raku |
string.size OR string.length
|
Number of bytes | Ruby |
strlen(string)
|
Number of bytes | C, PHP |
string.length()
|
|
C++ (STL) |
string.length
|
|
Cobra, D, JavaScript |
string.length()
|
Number of UTF-16 code units | Java |
(string-length string)
|
|
Scheme |
(length string)
|
|
Common Lisp, ISLISP |
(count string)
|
|
Clojure |
String.length string
|
|
OCaml |
size string
|
|
Standard ML |
length string
|
Number of Unicode code points | Haskell |
string.length
|
Number of UTF-16 code units | Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
string.characters.count
|
Number of characters | Swift (2.x) |
count(string)
|
Number of characters | Swift (1.2) |
countElements(string)
|
Number of characters | Swift (1.0–1.1) |
string.len(string) (string):len() #string
|
|
Lua |
string size
|
|
Smalltalk |
LEN(string) LEN_TRIM(string)
|
|
Fortran |
StringLength
|
|
Mathematica |
«FUNCTION» LENGTH(string) or
|
number of characters and number of bytes, respectively | COBOL |
string length string
|
a decimal string giving the number of characters | Tcl |
≢ string
|
APL | |
string.len()
|
Number of bytes | Rust |
string.chars().count()
|
Number of Unicode code points | Rust |
// Examples in C# "hello".Length; // returns 5 "".Length; // returns 0
# Examples in Erlang string:len("hello"). % returns 5 string:len(""). % returns 0
# Examples in Perl 5 length("hello"); # returns 5 length(""); # returns 0
# Examples in Raku "🏳️🌈".chars; chars "🏳️🌈"; # both return 1 "🏳️🌈".codes; codes "🏳️🌈"; # both return 4 "".chars; chars ""; # both return 0 "".codes; codes ""; # both return 0
' Examples in Visual Basic Len("hello") ' returns 5 Len("") ' returns 0
//Examples in Objective-C //returns 5 //returns 0
-- Examples in Lua ("hello"):len() -- returns 5 #"" -- returns 0
locate
see #Find
Lowercase
Definition | lowercase(string) returns string
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the string in lower case. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
LCase(string)
|
VB |
lcase(string)
|
FreeBASIC |
lc(string)
|
Perl, Raku |
string.lc
|
Raku |
tolower(char)
|
C |
std.string.toLower(string)
|
D |
transform(string.begin(), string.end(), result.begin(), ::tolower)
|
C++ |
lowercase(string)
|
Object Pascal (Delphi) |
strtolower(string)
|
PHP |
lower(string)
|
Seed7 |
${string_param,,}
|
Bash |
echo "string" | tr 'A-Z' 'a-z'
|
Unix |
string.lower()
|
Python |
downcase(string)
|
Pick Basic |
string.downcase
|
Ruby |
strings.ToLower(string)
|
Go |
(string-downcase string)
|
Scheme (R6RS), Common Lisp |
(lower-case string)
|
Clojure |
String.lowercase string
|
OCaml |
String.map Char.toLower string
|
Standard ML |
map Char.toLower string
|
Haskell |
string.toLowerCase()
|
Java, JavaScript |
to_lower(string)
|
Erlang |
string.ToLower()
|
VB .NET, C#, Windows PowerShell, F# |
string.lowercaseString
|
Objective-C (NSString * only), Swift (Foundation)
|
string.lower(string) (string):lower()
|
Lua |
string asLowercase
|
Smalltalk |
LOWER(string)
|
SQL |
lowercase(string)
|
PL/I |
ToLowerCase
|
Mathematica |
«FUNCTION» LOWER-CASE(string)
|
COBOL |
string.toLower
|
Cobra |
string tolower string
|
Tcl |
string.to_lowercase()
|
Rust |
// Example in C# "Wiki means fast?".ToLower(); // "wiki means fast?"
; Example in Scheme (use-modules (srfi srfi-13)) (string-downcase "Wiki means fast?") ; "wiki means fast?"
/* Example in C */ #include <ctype.h> #include <stdio.h> int main(void) { char string = "Wiki means fast?"; int i; for (i = 0; i < sizeof(string) - 1; ++i) { /* transform characters in place, one by one */ string = tolower(string); } puts(string); /* "wiki means fast?" */ return 0; }
# Example in Raku "Wiki means fast?".lc; # "wiki means fast?"
mid
see #substring
partition
Definition | <string>.partition(separator) returns the sub-string before the separator; the separator; then the sub-string after the separator. |
---|---|
Description | Splits the given string by the separator and returns the three substrings that together make the original. |
Format | Languages | Comments |
---|---|---|
string.partition(separator)
|
Python, Ruby(1.9+) | |
lists:partition(pred, string)
|
Erlang | |
split /(separator)/, string, 2
|
Perl 5 | |
split separator, string, 2 string.split( separator, 2 )
|
Raku | Separator does not have to be a regular expression |
# Examples in Python "Spam eggs spam spam and ham".partition('spam') # ('Spam eggs ', 'spam', ' spam and ham') "Spam eggs spam spam and ham".partition('X') # ('Spam eggs spam spam and ham', "", "")
# Examples in Perl 5 / Raku split /(spam)/, 'Spam eggs spam spam and ham' ,2; # ('Spam eggs ', 'spam', ' spam and ham'); split /(X)/, 'Spam eggs spam spam and ham' ,2; # ('Spam eggs spam spam and ham');
replace
Definition | replace(string, find, replace) returns string
|
---|---|
Description | Returns a string with find occurrences changed to replace. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
changestr(find, string, replace)
|
Rexx |
std.string.replace(string, find, replace)
|
D |
Replace(string, find, replace)
|
VB |
replace(string, find, replace)
|
Seed7 |
change(string, find, replace)
|
Pick Basic |
string.Replace(find, replace)
|
C#, F#, VB .NET |
str_replace(find, replace, string)
|
PHP |
re:replace(string, find, replace, «{return, list}»)
|
Erlang |
string.replace(find, replace)
|
Cobra, Java (1.5+), Python, Rust |
string.replaceAll(find_regex, replace)
|
Java |
string.gsub(find, replace)
|
Ruby |
string =~ s/find_regex/replace/g
|
Perl 5 |
string.subst(find, replace, :g)
|
Raku |
string.replace(find, replace, "g") string.replace(/find_regex/g, replace)
|
JavaScript |
echo "string" | sed 's/find_regex/replace/g'
|
Unix |
${string_param//find_pattern/replace}
|
Bash |
string.replace(find, replace) string -replace find_regex, replace
|
Windows PowerShell |
Str.global_replace (Str.regexp_string find) replace string
|
OCaml |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
string.stringByReplacingOccurrencesOfString(find, withString:replace)
|
Swift (Foundation) |
string.gsub(string, find, replace) (string):gsub(find, replace)
|
Lua |
string copyReplaceAll: find with: replace
|
Smalltalk (Squeak, Pharo) |
string map {find replace} string
|
Tcl |
StringReplace
|
Mathematica |
strings.Replace(string, find, replace, -1)
|
Go |
INSPECT string REPLACING ALL/LEADING/FIRST find BY replace
|
COBOL |
find_regex ⎕R replace_regex ⊢ string
|
APL |
// Examples in C# "effffff".Replace("f", "jump"); // returns "ejumpjumpjumpjumpjumpjump" "blah".Replace("z", "y"); // returns "blah"
// Examples in Java "effffff".replace("f", "jump"); // returns "ejumpjumpjumpjumpjumpjump" "effffff".replaceAll("f*", "jump"); // returns "ejump"
// Examples in Raku "effffff".subst("f", "jump", :g); # returns "ejumpjumpjumpjumpjumpjump" "blah".subst("z", "y", :g); # returns "blah"
' Examples in Visual Basic Replace("effffff", "f", "jump") ' returns "ejumpjumpjumpjumpjumpjump" Replace("blah", "z", "y") ' returns "blah"
# Examples in Windows PowerShell "effffff" -replace "f", "jump" # returns "ejumpjumpjumpjumpjumpjump" "effffff" -replace "f*", "jump" # returns "ejump"
reverse
Definition | reverse(string)
|
---|---|
Description | Reverses the order of the characters in the string. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
reverse string
|
Perl 5, Haskell |
flip string string.flip
|
Raku |
lists:reverse(string)
|
Erlang |
strrev(string)
|
PHP |
string
|
Python |
(string-reverse string)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) |
(reverse string)
|
Common Lisp |
string.reverse
|
Ruby, D (modifies string) |
new StringBuilder(string).reverse().toString()
|
Java |
std::reverse(string.begin(), string.end());
|
C++ (std::string only, modifies string)
|
StrReverse(string)
|
VB |
string.Reverse()
|
VB .NET, C# |
implode (rev (explode string))
|
Standard ML |
string.split("").reverse().join("")
|
JavaScript |
string.reverse(string) (string):reverse()
|
Lua |
string reverse
|
Smalltalk |
StringReverse
|
Mathematica |
reverse(string)
|
PL/I |
«FUNCTION» REVERSE(string)
|
COBOL |
string.toCharArray.toList.reversed.join()
|
Cobra |
String(string.characters.reverse())
|
Swift (2.x) |
String(reverse(string))
|
Swift (1.2) |
string reverse string
|
Tcl |
⌽string
|
APL |
string.chars().rev().collect::<String>()
|
Rust |
echo string | rev
|
Unix |
" Example in Smalltalk " 'hello' reversed " returns 'olleh' "
# Example in Perl 5 reverse "hello" # returns "olleh"
# Example in Raku "hello".flip # returns "olleh"
# Example in Python "hello" # returns "olleh"
; Example in Scheme (use-modules (srfi srfi-13)) (string-reverse "hello") ; returns "olleh"
rfind
Definition | rfind(string,substring) returns integer
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the position of the start of the last occurrence of substring in string. If the substring is not found most of these routines return an invalid index value – -1 where indexes are 0-based, 0 where they are 1-based – or some value to be interpreted as Boolean FALSE. |
Related | instr |
Format | Languages | If not found |
---|---|---|
InStrRev(«startpos,» string,substring)
|
VB | returns 0 |
instrrev(«startpos,» string,substring)
|
FreeBASIC | returns 0 |
rindex(string,substring«,startpos»)
|
Perl 5 | returns −1 |
rindex(string,substring«,startpos») string.rindex(substring«,startpos»)
|
Raku | returns Nil |
strrpos(string,substring«,startpos»)
|
PHP | returns FALSE |
string.rfind(substring«,startpos»)
|
C++ (STL) | returns std::string::npos |
std.string.rfind(string, substring)
|
D | returns −1 |
string.rfind(substring«,startpos«, endpos»»)
|
Python | returns −1 |
string.rindex(substring«,startpos«, endpos»»)
|
raises ValueError | |
rpos(string, substring«,startpos»)
|
Seed7 | returns 0 |
string.rindex(substring«,startpos»)
|
Ruby | returns nil |
strings.LastIndex(string, substring)
|
Go | returns −1 |
string.lastIndexOf(substring«,startpos»)
|
Java, JavaScript | returns −1 |
string.LastIndexOf(substring«,startpos«, charcount»»)
|
VB .NET, C#, Windows PowerShell, F# | returns −1 |
(search substring string :from-end t)
|
Common Lisp | returns NIL |
.location
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
returns NSNotFound |
Str.search_backward (Str.regexp_string substring) string (Str.length string - 1)
|
OCaml | raises Not_found |
string.match(string, '.*()'..substring) string:match('.*()'..substring)
|
Lua | returns nil |
Ada.Strings.Unbounded.Index(Source => string, Pattern => substring, Going => Ada.Strings.Backward)
|
Ada | returns 0 |
string.lastIndexOf(substring«,startpos«, charcount»»)
|
Cobra | returns −1 |
string lastIndexOfString:substring
|
Smalltalk | returns 0 |
string last substring string startpos
|
Tcl | returns −1 |
(⌽<\⌽substring⍷'string')⍳1
|
APL | returns −1 |
string.rfind(substring)
|
Rust | returns None |
; Examples in Common Lisp (search "e" "Hello mate" :from-end t) ; returns 9 (search "z" "word" :from-end t) ; returns NIL
// Examples in C# "Hello mate".LastIndexOf("e"); // returns 9 "Hello mate".LastIndexOf("e", 4); // returns 1 "word".LastIndexOf("z"); // returns -1
# Examples in Perl 5 rindex("Hello mate", "e"); # returns 9 rindex("Hello mate", "e", 4); # returns 1 rindex("word", "z"); # returns -1
# Examples in Raku "Hello mate".rindex("e"); # returns 9 "Hello mate".rindex("e", 4); # returns 1 "word".rindex('z'); # returns Nil
' Examples in Visual Basic InStrRev("Hello mate", "e") ' returns 10 InStrRev(5, "Hello mate", "e") ' returns 2 InStrRev("word", "z") ' returns 0
right
Definition | right(string,n) returns string
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the right n part of a string. If n is greater than the length of the string then most implementations return the whole string (exceptions exist – see code examples). |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string (string'Last - n + 1 .. string'Last)
|
Ada |
Right(string,n)
|
VB |
RIGHT$(string,n)
|
BASIC |
right(string,n)
|
FreeBASIC, Ingres, Pick Basic |
strcpy(string2, string+n) (n must not be greater than the length of string)
|
C |
string.Substring(string.Length()-n)
|
C# |
string
|
Go |
string.substring(string.length()-n)
|
Java |
string.slice(-n)
|
JavaScript |
right(string,n «,padchar»)
|
Rexx, Erlang |
substr(string,-n)
|
Perl 5, PHP |
substr(string,*-n) string.substr(*-n)
|
Raku |
string
|
Cobra, Python |
${string_param: -n} (note the space after the colon)
|
Bash |
string
|
Pick Basic |
(string-take-right string n)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) |
string
|
Ruby |
string
|
D |
String.sub string (String.length string - n) n
|
OCaml |
string.sub(string, -n) (string):sub(-n)
|
Lua |
string last: n
|
Smalltalk (Squeak, Pharo) |
StringTake
|
Mathematica |
string (1:n)
|
COBOL |
¯n↑string.
|
APL |
string string.get(n..)
|
Rust |
// Examples in Java; extract rightmost 4 characters String str = "CarDoor"; str.substring(str.length()-4); // returns 'Door'
# Examples in Raku "abcde".substr(*-3); # returns "cde" "abcde".substr(*-8); # 'out of range' error
/* Examples in Rexx */ right("abcde", 3) /* returns "cde" */ right("abcde", 8) /* returns " abcde" */ right("abcde", 8, "*") /* returns "***abcde" */
; Examples in Scheme (use-modules (srfi srfi-13)) (string-take-right "abcde", 3) ; returns "cde" (string-take-right "abcde", 8) ; error
' Examples in Visual Basic Right("sandroguidi", 3) ' returns "idi" Right("sandroguidi", 100) ' returns "sandroguidi"
rpartition
Definition | <string>.rpartition(separator) Searches for the separator from right-to-left within the string then returns the sub-string before the separator; the separator; then the sub-string after the separator. |
---|---|
Description | Splits the given string by the right-most separator and returns the three substrings that together make the original. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string.rpartition(separator)
|
Python, Ruby |
# Examples in Python "Spam eggs spam spam and ham".rpartition('spam') ### ('Spam eggs spam ', 'spam', ' and ham') "Spam eggs spam spam and ham".rpartition('X') ### ("", "", 'Spam eggs spam spam and ham')
slice
see #substring
split
Definition | <string>.split(separator) splits a string on separator, optionally only up to a limited number of substrings |
---|---|
Description | Splits the given string by occurrences of the separator (itself a string) and returns a list (or array) of the substrings. If limit is given, after limit – 1 separators have been read, the rest of the string is made into the last substring, regardless of whether it has any separators in it. The Scheme and Erlang implementations are similar but differ in several ways. JavaScript differs also in that it cuts, it does not put the rest of the string into the last element. See the example here. The Cobra implementation will default to whitespace. Opposite of join. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
split(/separator/, string«, limit»)
|
Perl 5 |
split(separator, string«, limit») string.split(separator, «limit»)
|
Raku |
explode(separator, string«, limit»)
|
PHP |
string.split(separator«, limit-1»)
|
Python |
string.split(separator«, limit»)
|
JavaScript, Java, Ruby |
string:tokens(string, sepchars)
|
Erlang |
strings.Split(string, separator) strings.SplitN(string, separator, limit)
|
Go |
(string-tokenize string« charset« start« end»»»)
|
Scheme (SRFI 13) |
Split(string, sepchars«, limit»)
|
VB |
string.Split(sepchars«, limit«, options»»)
|
VB .NET, C#, F# |
string -split separator«, limit«, options»»
|
Windows PowerShell |
Str.split (Str.regexp_string separator) string
|
OCaml |
std.string.split(string, separator)
|
D |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
string.componentsSeparatedByString(separator)
|
Swift (Foundation) |
TStringList.Delimiter, TStringList.DelimitedText
|
Object Pascal |
StringSplit
|
Mathematica |
string.split«(sepchars«, limit«, options»»)»
|
Cobra |
split string separator
|
Tcl |
(separator≠string)⊂string in APL2separator(≠⊆⊢)string in Dyalog APL 16.0
|
APL |
string.split(separator)
|
Rust |
// Example in C# "abc,defgh,ijk".Split(','); // {"abc", "defgh", "ijk"} "abc,defgh;ijk".Split(',', ';'); // {"abc", "defgh", "ijk"}
% Example in Erlang string:tokens("abc;defgh;ijk", ";"). %
// Examples in Java "abc,defgh,ijk".split(","); // {"abc", "defgh", "ijk"} "abc,defgh;ijk".split(",|;"); // {"abc", "defgh", "ijk"}
{ Example in Pascal } var lStrings: TStringList; lStr: string; begin lStrings := TStringList.Create; lStrings.Delimiter := ','; lStrings.DelimitedText := 'abc,defgh,ijk'; lStr := lStrings.Strings; // 'abc' lStr := lStrings.Strings; // 'defgh' lStr := lStrings.Strings; // 'ijk' end;
# Examples in Perl 5 split(/spam/, 'Spam eggs spam spam and ham'); # ('Spam eggs ', ' ', ' and ham') split(/X/, 'Spam eggs spam spam and ham'); # ('Spam eggs spam spam and ham')
# Examples in Raku 'Spam eggs spam spam and ham'.split(/spam/); # (Spam eggs and ham) split(/X/, 'Spam eggs spam spam and ham'); # (Spam eggs spam spam and ham)
sprintf
see #Format
strip
see #trim
strcmp
substring
See CharAt for base of startpos/endpos.Definition | substring(string, startpos, endpos) returns stringsubstr(string, startpos, numChars) returns string
|
---|---|
Description | Returns a substring of string between starting at startpos and endpos, or starting at startpos of length numChars. The resulting string is truncated if there are fewer than numChars characters beyond the starting point. endpos represents the index after the last character in the substring. Note that for variable-length encodings such as UTF-8, UTF-16 or Shift-JIS, it can be necessary to remove string positions at the end, in order to avoid invalid strings. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
string
|
ALGOL 68 (changes base index) |
string (startpos .. endpos)
|
Ada (changes base index) |
Mid(string, startpos, numChars)
|
VB |
mid(string, startpos, numChars)
|
FreeBASIC |
string
|
APL |
MID$(string, startpos, numChars)
|
BASIC |
substr(string, startpos, numChars)
|
AWK (changes string), Perl 5, PHP |
substr(string, startpos, numChars) string.substr(startpos, numChars)
|
Raku |
substr(string, startpos «,numChars, padChar»)
|
Rexx |
string
|
Cobra, Python, Go |
string
|
Pick Basic |
string string string
|
Ruby |
string string
|
Seed7 |
string.slice(startpos«, endpos»)
|
JavaScript |
string.substr(startpos«, numChars»)
|
C++ (STL), JavaScript |
string.Substring(startpos, numChars)
|
VB .NET, C#, Windows PowerShell, F# |
string.substring(startpos«, endpos»)
|
Java, JavaScript |
copy(string, startpos, numChars)
|
Object Pascal (Delphi) |
(substring string startpos endpos)
|
Scheme |
(subseq string startpos endpos)
|
Common Lisp |
(subseq string startpos endpos)
|
ISLISP |
String.sub string startpos numChars
|
OCaml |
substring (string, startpos, numChars)
|
Standard ML |
string:sub_string(string, startpos, endpos) string:substr(string, startpos, numChars)
|
Erlang |
strncpy(result, string + startpos, numChars);
|
C |
string
|
D |
take numChars $ drop startpos string
|
Haskell |
|
Objective-C (NSString * only)
|
string.
|
F# |
string.sub(string, startpos, endpos) (string):sub(startpos, endpos)
|
Lua |
string copyFrom: startpos to: endpos
|
Smalltalk |
string(startpos:endpos)
|
Fortran |
SUBSTRING(string FROM startpos «FOR numChars»)
|
SQL |
StringTake
|
Mathematica |
string (startpos:numChars)
|
COBOL |
${string_param:startpos:numChars}
|
Bash |
string range string startpos endpos | Tcl |
string string.get(startpos..endpos)
|
Rust |
// Examples in C# "abc".Substring(1, 1): // returns "b" "abc".Substring(1, 2); // returns "bc" "abc".Substring(1, 6); // error
;; Examples in Common Lisp (subseq "abc" 1 2) ; returns "b" (subseq "abc" 2) ; returns "c"
% Examples in Erlang string:substr("abc", 2, 1). % returns "b" string:substr("abc", 2). % returns "bc"
# Examples in Perl 5 substr("abc", 1, 1); # returns "b" substr("abc", 1); # returns "bc"
# Examples in Raku "abc".substr(1, 1); # returns "b" "abc".substr(1); # returns "bc"
# Examples in Python "abc" # returns "b" "abc" # returns "bc"
/* Examples in Rexx */ substr("abc", 2, 1) /* returns "b" */ substr("abc", 2) /* returns "bc" */ substr("abc", 2, 6) /* returns "bc " */ substr("abc", 2, 6, "*") /* returns "bc****" */
Uppercase
Definition | uppercase(string) returns string
|
---|---|
Description | Returns the string in upper case. |
Format | Languages |
---|---|
UCase(string)
|
VB |
ucase(string)
|
FreeBASIC |
toupper(string)
|
AWK (changes string) |
uc(string)
|
Perl, Raku |
string.uc
|
Raku |
toupper(char)
|
C (operates on one character) |
for(size_t i = 0, len = strlen(string); i< len; i++) string = toupper(string); for (char *c = string; *c != '\0'; c++) *c = toupper(*c);
|
C (string / char array) |
std.string.toUpper(string)
|
D |
transform(string.begin(), string.end(), result.begin(), toupper)
|
C++ |
uppercase(string)
|
Object Pascal (Delphi) |
upcase(char)
|
Object Pascal (Delphi) (operates on one character) |
strtoupper(string)
|
PHP |
upper(string)
|
Seed7 |
${string_param^^} (mnemonic: ^ is pointing up)
|
Bash |
echo "string" | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z'
|
Unix |
translate(string) UPPER variables PARSE UPPER VAR SrcVar DstVar
|
Rexx |
string.upper()
|
Python |
upcase(string)
|
Pick Basic |
string.upcase
|
Ruby |
strings.ToUpper(string)
|
Go |
(string-upcase string)
|
Scheme, Common Lisp |
String.uppercase string
|
OCaml |
String.map Char.toUpper string
|
Standard ML |
map Char.toUpper string
|
Haskell |
string.toUpperCase()
|
Java, JavaScript |
string.uppercase()
|
Kotlin |
to_upper(string)
|
Erlang |
string.ToUpper()
|
VB .NET, C#, Windows PowerShell, F# |
string.uppercaseString
|
Objective-C (NSString * only), Swift (Foundation)
|
string.upper(string) (string):upper()
|
Lua |
string asUppercase
|
Smalltalk |
UPPER(string)
|
SQL |
ToUpperCase
|
Mathematica |
«FUNCTION» UPPER-CASE(string)
|
COBOL |
string.toUpper
|
Cobra |
string toupper string
|
Tcl |
string.to_uppercase()
|
Rust |
// Example in C# "Wiki means fast?".ToUpper(); // "WIKI MEANS FAST?"
# Example in Perl 5 uc("Wiki means fast?"); # "WIKI MEANS FAST?"
# Example in Raku uc("Wiki means fast?"); # "WIKI MEANS FAST?" "Wiki means fast?".uc; # "WIKI MEANS FAST?"
/* Example in Rexx */ translate("Wiki means fast?") /* "WIKI MEANS FAST?" */ /* Example #2 */ A='This is an example.' UPPER A /* "THIS IS AN EXAMPLE." */ /* Example #3 */ A='upper using Translate Function.' Translate UPPER VAR A Z /* Z="UPPER USING TRANSLATE FUNCTION." */
; Example in Scheme (use-modules (srfi srfi-13)) (string-upcase "Wiki means fast?") ; "WIKI MEANS FAST?"
' Example in Visual Basic UCase("Wiki means fast?") ' "WIKI MEANS FAST?"
trim
Main article: Trim (programming)trim
or strip
is used to remove whitespace from the beginning, end, or both beginning and end, of a string.
Example usage | Languages |
---|---|
String.Trim()
|
C#, VB.NET, Windows PowerShell |
string.strip();
|
D |
(.trim string)
|
Clojure |
sequence trim
|
Factor |
(string-trim '(#\Space #\Tab #\Newline) string)
|
Common Lisp |
(string-trim string)
|
Scheme |
string.trim()
|
Java, JavaScript (1.8.1+, Firefox 3.5+), Rust |
Trim(String)
|
Pascal, QBasic, Visual Basic, Delphi |
string.strip()
|
Python |
strings.Trim(string, chars)
|
Go |
LTRIM(RTRIM(String))
|
Oracle SQL, T-SQL |
strip(string )
|
REXX |
string:strip(string )
|
Erlang |
string.strip string.lstrip string.rstrip
|
Ruby |
string.trim
|
Raku |
trim(string)
|
PHP, Raku |
]
|
Objective-C using Cocoa |
string withBlanksTrimmed string withoutSpaces string withoutSeparators
|
Smalltalk (Squeak, Pharo) Smalltalk |
strip(string)
|
SAS |
string trim $string
|
Tcl |
TRIM(string) TRIM(ADJUSTL(string))
|
Fortran |
TRIM(string)
|
SQL |
TRIM(string) LTrim(string) RTrim(String)
|
ColdFusion |
String.trim string
|
OCaml 4+ |
Other languages
In languages without a built-in trim function, it is usually simple to create a custom function which accomplishes the same task.
APL
APL can use regular expressions directly:
Trim←'^ +| +$'⎕R''
Alternatively, a functional approach combining Boolean masks that filter away leading and trailing spaces:
Trim←{⍵/⍨(∨\∧∘⌽∨\∘⌽)' '≠⍵}
Or reverse and remove leading spaces, twice:
Trim←{(∨\' '≠⍵)/⍵}∘⌽⍣2
AWK
In AWK, one can use regular expressions to trim:
ltrim(v) = gsub(/^+/, "", v) rtrim(v) = gsub(/+$/, "", v) trim(v) = ltrim(v); rtrim(v)
or:
function ltrim(s) { sub(/^+/, "", s); return s } function rtrim(s) { sub(/+$/, "", s); return s } function trim(s) { return rtrim(ltrim(s)); }
C/C++
There is no standard trim function in C or C++. Most of the available string libraries for C contain code which implements trimming, or functions that significantly ease an efficient implementation. The function has also often been called EatWhitespace in some non-standard C libraries.
In C, programmers often combine a ltrim and rtrim to implement trim:
#include <string.h> #include <ctype.h> void rtrim(char *str) { char *s; s = str + strlen(str); while (--s >= str) { if (!isspace(*s)) break; *s = 0; } } void ltrim(char *str) { size_t n; n = 0; while (str != '\0' && isspace((unsigned char) str)) { n++; } memmove(str, str + n, strlen(str) - n + 1); } void trim(char *str) { rtrim(str); ltrim(str); }
The open source C++ library Boost has several trim variants, including a standard one:
#include <boost/algorithm/string/trim.hpp> trimmed = boost::algorithm::trim_copy("string");
With boost's function named simply trim
the input sequence is modified in-place, and returns no result.
Another open source C++ library Qt, has several trim variants, including a standard one:
#include <QString> trimmed = s.trimmed();
The Linux kernel also includes a strip function, strstrip()
, since 2.6.18-rc1, which trims the string "in place". Since 2.6.33-rc1, the kernel uses strim()
instead of strstrip()
to avoid false warnings.
Haskell
A trim algorithm in Haskell:
import Data.Char (isSpace) trim :: String -> String trim = f . f where f = reverse . dropWhile isSpace
may be interpreted as follows: f drops the preceding whitespace, and reverses the string. f is then again applied to its own output. Note that the type signature (the second line) is optional.
J
The trim algorithm in J is a functional description:
trim =. #~ [: (+./\ *. +./\.) ' '&~:
That is: filter (#~
) for non-space characters (' '&~:
) between leading (+./\
) and (*.
) trailing (+./\.
) spaces.
JavaScript
There is a built-in trim function in JavaScript 1.8.1 (Firefox 3.5 and later), and the ECMAScript 5 standard. In earlier versions it can be added to the String object's prototype as follows:
String.prototype.trim = function() { return this.replace(/^\s+/g, "").replace(/\s+$/g, ""); };
Perl
Perl 5 has no built-in trim function. However, the functionality is commonly achieved using regular expressions.
Example:
$string =~ s/^\s+//; # remove leading whitespace $string =~ s/\s+$//; # remove trailing whitespace
or:
$string =~ s/^\s+|\s+$//g ; # remove both leading and trailing whitespace
These examples modify the value of the original variable $string
.
Also available for Perl is StripLTSpace in String::Strip
from CPAN.
There are, however, two functions that are commonly used to strip whitespace from the end of strings, chomp
and chop
:
chop
removes the last character from a string and returns it.chomp
removes the trailing newline character(s) from a string if present. (What constitutes a newline is $INPUT_RECORD_SEPARATOR dependent).
In Raku, the upcoming sister language of Perl, strings have a trim
method.
Example:
$string = $string.trim; # remove leading and trailing whitespace $string .= trim; # same thing
Tcl
The Tcl string
command has three relevant subcommands: trim
, trimright
and trimleft
. For each of those commands, an additional argument may be specified: a string that represents a set of characters to remove—the default is whitespace (space, tab, newline, carriage return).
Example of trimming vowels:
set string onomatopoeia set trimmed ;# result is nomatop set r_trimmed ;# result is onomatop set l_trimmed ;# result is nomatopoeia
XSLT
XSLT includes the function normalize-space(string)
which strips leading and trailing whitespace, in addition to replacing any whitespace sequence (including line breaks) with a single space.
Example:
<xsl:variable name='trimmed'> <xsl:value-of select='normalize-space(string)'/> </xsl:variable>
XSLT 2.0 includes regular expressions, providing another mechanism to perform string trimming.
Another XSLT technique for trimming is to utilize the XPath 2.0 substring()
function.
References
- ^ the index can be negative, which then indicates the number of places before the end of the string.
- In Rust, the
str::chars
method iterates over code points and thestd::iter::Iterator::nth
method on iterators returns the zero-indexed nth value from the iterator, orNone
. - the index can not be negative, use *-N where N indicate the number of places before the end of the string.
- In C++, the overloaded
operator<=>
method on a string returns astd::strong_ordering
object (otherwisestd::weak_ordering
):less
,equal
(same asequivalent
), orgreater
. - returns LESS, EQUAL, or GREATER
- returns LT, EQ, or GT
- returns
.TRUE.
or.FALSE.
. These functions are based on the ASCII collating sequence. - ^ IBM extension.
- In Rust, the
Ord::cmp
method on a string returns anOrdering
:Less
,Equal
, orGreater
. - ^ In Rust, the operators
==
and!=
and the methodseq
,ne
are implemented by thePartialEq
trait, and the operators<
,>
,<=
,>=
and the methodslt
,gt
,le
,ge
are implemented by thePartialOrd
trait. - The operators use the compiler's default collating sequence.
- modifies
string1
, which must have enough space to store the result - In Rust, the
+
operator is implemented by theAdd
trait. - See the
str::contains
method. - See the
std::basic_string::contains
method. - ^ startpos is IBM extension.
- ^ See the
str::find
method. -
startpos
is IBM extension. - "scan in Fortran Wiki". Fortranwiki.org. 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
- "verify in Fortran Wiki". Fortranwiki.org. 2012-05-03. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
-
formatstring
must be a fixed literal at compile time for it to have the correct type. - See
std::format
, which is imported by the Rust prelude so that it can be used under the nameformat
. - See the
slice::join
method. - if n is larger than the length of the string, then in Debug mode ArrayRangeException is thrown, in Release mode, the behaviour is unspecified.
- if n is larger than the length of the string, Java will throw an IndexOutOfBoundsException
- ^ if n is larger than length of string, raises Invalid_argument
- ^ if n is larger than length of string, throw the message "StringTake::take:"
- ^ In Rust, strings are indexed in terms of byte offsets and there is a runtime panic if the index is out of bounds or if it would result in invalid UTF-8. A
&str
(string reference) can be indexed by various types of ranges, includingRange
(0..n
),RangeFrom
(n..
), andRangeTo
(..n
) because they all implement theSliceIndex
trait withstr
being the type being indexed. Thestr::get
method is the non-panicking way to index. It returnsNone
in the cases in which indexing would panic. - Ruby lacks Unicode support
- See the
str::len
method. - In Rust, the
str::chars
method iterates over code points and thestd::iter::Iterator::count
method on iterators consumes the iterator and returns the total number of elements in the iterator. - operates on one character
- ^ The
transform
function exists in thestd::
namespace. You must include the<algorithm>
header file to use it. Thetolower
andtoupper
functions are in the global namespace, obtained by the<ctype.h>
header file. Thestd::tolower
andstd::toupper
names are overloaded and cannot be passed tostd::transform
without a cast to resolve a function overloading ambiguity, e.g.std::transform(string.begin(), string.end(), result.begin(), (int (*)(int))std::tolower);
-
std::string
only, result is stored in stringresult
which is at least as long asstring
, and may or may not bestring
itself - ^ only ASCII characters as Ruby lacks Unicode support
- See the
str::to_lowercase
method. - See the
str::replace
method. - ^ The "find" string in this construct is interpreted as a regular expression. Certain characters have special meaning in regular expressions. If you want to find a string literally, you need to quote the special characters.
- third parameter is non-standard
- In Rust, the
str::chars
method iterates over code points, thestd::iter::Iterator::rev
method on reversible iterators (std::iter::DoubleEndedIterator
) creates a reversed iterator, and thestd::iter::Iterator::collect
method consumes the iterator and creates a collection (which here is specified as aString
with the turbofish syntax) from the iterator's elements. - See the
str::rfind
method. - "Annotated ES5". Es5.github.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
- if n is larger than length of string, then in Debug mode ArrayRangeException is thrown, and unspecified behaviour in Release mode
- See the
str::split
andstr::rsplit
methods. - ^
startpos
can be negative, which indicates to start that number of places before the end of the string. - ^
numChars
can be negative, which indicates to end that number of places before the end of the string. -
startpos
can not be negative, use * - startpos to indicate to start that number of places before the end of the string. -
numChars
can not be negative, use * - numChars to indicate to end that number of places before the end of the string. - ^
endpos
can be negative, which indicates to end that number of places before the end of the string. -
std::string
only, result is stored in string result which is at least as long as string, and may or may not be string itself - "uppercase - Kotlin Programming Language". Kotlin. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- In Rust, the
str::to_uppercase
method returns a newly allocatedString
with any lowercase characters changed to uppercase ones following the Unicode rules. - In Rust, the
str::trim
method returns a reference to the original&str
. - "Trim – GNU Pascal priručnik". Gnu-pascal.de. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
- "String library comparison". And.org. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
- "Usage – 1.54.0". Boost.org. 2013-05-22. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
- Archived August 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- dankamongmen. "sprezzos-kernel-packaging/changelog at master · dankamongmen/sprezzos-kernel-packaging · GitHub". Github.com. Retrieved 2016-05-29.