Python String split() Usage and Example

Python string methods

The split() method splits a string at the specified separator and returns a list of strings.

The syntax of split() is:

str.split([separator, [maxsplit]])

split() parameters

The split() method can use at most2a parameter:

• separator(Optional)-is the separator. The string is split at the specified separator (separator).　
  If the separator is not specified, any space (space, newline, etc.) string is a separator.

• maxsplit(Optional)- maxsplit defines the maximum number of splits.
  The default value is maxsplit-1means that the split number is unlimited.

split() return value

split() splits the string at the separator and returns a list of strings.

Example1：How does split() work in Python?

text = 'Love thy neighbor'
# Split at space
print(text.split())
grocery = 'Milk, Chicken, Bread'
# Split at ','
print(grocery.split(', '))
# Split at ':'
print(grocery.split(':'))

When running the program, the output is:

['Love', 'thy', 'neighbor']
['Milk', 'Chicken', 'Bread']
['Milk, Chicken, Bread']

Example2：How does split() work when maxsplit is specified?

grocery = 'Milk, Chicken, Bread, Butter'
# maxsplit:　2
print(grocery.split(', '))　2))
# maxsplit:　1
print(grocery.split(', '))　1))
# maxsplit:　5
print(grocery.split(', '))　5))
# maxsplit: 0
print(grocery.split(', ', 0))

When running the program, the output is:

['Milk', 'Chicken, Bread, Butter']
['Milk', 'Chicken, Bread, Butter']
['Milk', 'Chicken', 'Bread', 'Butter']
['Milk, Chicken, Bread, Butter']

If maxsplit is specified, the list will contain at most maxsplit+1project.

Python string methods