String Handling in Java

The basic aim of String Handling concept is storing the string data in the main memory (RAM), manipulating the

data of the String, retrieving the part of the String etc. String Handling provides a lot of concepts that can be

performed on a string such as concatenation of string, comparison of string, find sub string etc.

Java String contains an immutable sequence of Unicode characters. Java String is differ from string in C or C++,

where (in C or C++) string is simply an array of char. String class is encapsulated under java.lang package.

Immutable class in Java

Immutable class means that once an object is created, we cannot change its content. In Java, . In Java String,

Integer, Byte, Short, Float, Double and all other wrapper classes are immutable.

Example of Immutable class in Java

// An immutable class
public final class Student
{
final String name;
final int roll_no;

public Student(String name, int roll_no)

{
this.name = name;
this.regNo = roll_no;
}
public String getName()
{
return name;
 }
public int getRollNo()
{
return roll_no;
}
}

// Driver class
class Result
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
Student s = new Student("Hitesh", 18);
System.out.println(s.name);
System.out.println(s.roll_no);
}
}

Character

It is an identifier enclosed within single quotes (' ').

Example: 'A', '$', 'p'

String:

String is a sequence of characters enclosed within double quotes (" ") is known as String.

Example: "Java Programming".

In java programming to store the character data we have a fundamental datatype called char. Similarly to store

the string data and to perform various operation on String data, we have three predefined classes they are:

 String

 StringBuffer

 StringBuilder

String Class in Java

It is a predefined class in java.lang package can be used to handle the String. String class is  immutable that

means whose content can not be changed at the time of execution of program.
String class object is immutable that means when we create an object of String class it never changes in the

existing object.

Example:
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s=new String("java");
s.concat("software");
System.out.println(s);
}
}

Output

java

Explanation: Here we can not change the object of String class so output is only java not java software.

Methods of String class

length()

length(): This method is used to get the number of character of any string.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
int l;
String s=new String("Java");
l=s.length();
System.out.println("Length: "+l);
}
}

Output

Length: 4
charAt(index)

charAt(): This method is used to get the character at a given index value.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
char c;
String s=new String("Java");
c=s.charAt(2);
System.out.println("Character: "+c);
}
}

Output

Character: v

toUpperCase()

toUpperCase(): This method is use to convert lower case string into upper case.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s="Java";
System.out.println("String: "+s.toUpperCase());
}
}

Output

String: JAVA

toLowerCase()

toLowerCase(): This method is used to convert lower case string into upper case.
Example
class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s="JAVA";
System.out.println("String: "+s.toLowerCase());
}
}

Output

String: java

concat()

concat(): This method is used to combined two string.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Hitesh";
String s2="Raddy";
System.out.println("Combined String: "+s1.concat(s2));
}
}

Output

Combined String: HiteshRaddy

equals()

equals(): This method is used to compare two strings, It return true if strings are same otherwise return false. It is

case sensitive method.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Hitesh";
String s2="Raddy";
String s3="Hitesh";
System.out.println("Compare String: "+s1.equals(s2));
System.out.println("Compare String: "+s1.equals(s3));
}
}

Output

Compare String: false

Compare String: true

equalsIgnoreCase()

equalsIgnoreCase(): This method is case insensitive method, It return true if the contents of both strings are

same otherwise false.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Hitesh";
String s2="HITESH";
String s3="Raddy";
System.out.println("Compare String: "+s1.equalsIgnoreCase(s2));
System.out.println("Compare String: "+s1.equalsIgnoreCase(s3));
}
}

Output

Compare String: true

Compare String: false

compareTo()
compareTo(): This method is used to compare two strings by taking unicode values, It return 0 if the string are

same otherwise return +ve or -ve integer values.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Hitesh";
String s2="Raddy";
int i;
i=s1.compareTo(s2);
if(i==0)
{
System.out.println("Strings are same");
}
else
{
System.out.println("Strings are not same");
}
}
}

Output

Strings are not same

compareToIgnoreCase()

compareToIgnoreCase(): This method is case insensitive method, which is used to compare two strings similar

to compareTo().
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Hitesh";
String s2="HITESH";
int i;
i=s1.compareToIgnoreCase(s2);
if(i==0)
{
System.out.println("Strings are same");
}
else
{
System.out.println("Strings are not same");
}
}
}

Output

Strings are same

startsWith()

startsWith(): This method return true if string is start with given another string, otherwise it returns false.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s="Java is programming language";
System.out.println(s.startsWith("Java"));
}
}

Output

true

endsWith()

endsWith(): This method return true if string is end with given another string, otherwise it returns false.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s="Java is programming language";
System.out.println(s.endsWith("language"));
}
}

Output

true

subString()

subString(): This method is used to get the part of given string.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s="Java is programming language";
System.out.println(s.substring(8)); // 8 is starting index
}
}

Output

programming language

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s="Java is programming language";
System.out.println(s.substring(8, 12));
}
}

Output

prog
indexOf()

indexOf(): This method is used find the index value of given string. It always gives starting index value of first

occurrence of string.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s="Java is programming language";
System.out.println(s.indexOf("programming"));
}
}

Output

lastIndexOf()

lastIndexOf(): This method used to return the starting index value of last occurence of the given string.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Java is programming language";
String s2="Java is good programming language";
System.out.println(s1.lastIndexOf("programming"));
System.out.println(s2.lastIndexOf("programming"));
}
}

Output

13

trim()

trim(): This method remove space which are available before starting of string and after ending of string.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s=" Java is programming language ";
System.out.println(s.trim());
}
}

Output

Java is programming language

split()

split(): This method is used to divide the given string into number of parts based on delimiter (special symbols like

@ space , ).
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s="[email protected]";
String[] s1=s.split("@"); // divide string based on @
for(String c:s1) // foreach loop
{
System.out.println(c);
}
}
}

Output

contact

@tutorial4us.com

replace()

replace(): This method is used to return a duplicate string by replacing old character with new character.
Note: In this method data of original string will never be modify.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="java";
String s2=s1.replace('j', 'k');
System.out.println(s2);
}
}

Output

kava

StringBuffer Class in Java

It is a predefined class in java.lang package can be used to handle the String, whose object is mutable that means

content can be modify. 

StringBuffer class is working with thread safe mechanism that means multiple thread are not allowed

simultaneously to perform operation of StringBuffer.

StringBuffer class object is mutable that means when we create an object of StringBulder class it can be

change.
Example StringBuffer

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer("java");
sb.append("software");
System.out.println(sb);
}
}

Output

javasoftware
 Explanation: Here we can changes in the existing object of StringBuffer class so output is javasoftware.

Difference Between String and StringBuffer

String StringBuffer

The data which enclosed within double

The data which enclosed within double quote (" ") is
quote (" ") is by default treated as String
not by default treated as StringBuffer class
class.

String class object is immutable StringBuffer class object is mutable

When we create an object of String class

When we create an object of StringBuffer class by
by default no additional character
default we get 16 additional character memory space.
memory space is created.

Similarities Between String and StringBuffer

 Both of them are belongs to public final. so that they never participates in inheritance that is is-A

relationship is not possible but they can always participates in As-A and Uses-A relationship.

 We can not override the method of String and StringBuffer.

Methods of StringBuffer class

reverse()

reverse(): This method is used to reverse the given string and also the new value is replaced by the old string.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer("java code");
System.out.println(sb.reverse());
}
}

Output

edoc avaj

insert()

insert(): This method is used to insert either string or character or integer or real constant or boolean value at a

specific index value of given string.

Example
 class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer("this is my java code");
System.out.println(sb.insert(11, "first "));
}
}

Output

this is my first java code

append()

append(): This method is used to add the new string at the end of original string.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer("java is easy");
System.out.println(sb.append(" to learn"));
}
}

Output

java is easy to learn

replace()

replace() This method is used to replace any old string with new string based on index value.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer("This is my code");
 System.out.println(sb.replace(8, 10, "java"));
}
}

Output

This is java code

Explanation: In above example java string is replaced with old string (my) which is available between 8 to 10

index value.

deleteCharAt()

deleteCharAt(): This method is used to delete a character at given index value.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer("java");
System.out.println(sb.deleteCharAt(3));
}
}

Output

jav

delete()

delete(): This method is used to delete string form given string based on index value.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer("java is easy to learn");
StringBuffer s;
s=sb.delete(8, 13);
 System.out.println(sb);
}
}

Output

java is to learn

Explanation: In above example string will be deleted which is existing between 8 and 13 index value.

toString()

toString(): This method is used to convert mutable string value into immutable string.
Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer("java");
String s=sb.toString();
System.out.println(s);
s.concat("code");
}
}

Output

java

String Compare in Java

There are three way to compare string object in java:

 By equals() method

 By == operator

 By compreTo() method

equals() Method in Java

equals() method always used to comparing contents of both source and destination String. It return true if both

string are same in meaning and case otherwise it returns false. It is case sensitive method.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Hitesh";
String s2="Raddy";
String s3="Hitesh";
System.out.println("Compare String: "+s1.equals(s2));
System.out.println("Compare String: "+s1.equals(s3));
}
}

Output

Compare String: false

Compare String: true

== or Double Equals to Operator in Java

== Operator is always used for comparing references of both source and destination objects but not their contents.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1=new String("java");
String s2=new String("java");
if(s1==s2)
{
System.out.println("Strings are same");
}
else
{
System.out.println("Strings are not same");
}
}
}

Output

Strings are not same

compareTo() Method in Java

comapreTo() method can be used to compare two string by taking Unicode values. It returns 0 if the string are

same otherwise returns either +ve or -ve integer.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Hitesh";
String s2="Raddy";
int i;
i=s1.compareTo(s2);
if(i==0)
{
System.out.println("Strings are same");
}
else
{
System.out.println("Strings are not same");
}
}
 }

Output

Strings are not same

Difference between equals() method and == operator

equals() method always used to comparing contents of both source and destination String.

== Operator is always used for comparing references of both source and destination objects but not their contents.

String Concatenation

There are two way to concat string object in java:

 By + (string concatenation) operator

 By concat() method

By + operator

Using Java string concatenation operator (+) you can combined two or more strings.

Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s= "Java" + "Code";
System.out.println(s);
}
}

Output

JavaCode

By concat() method

concat() method is used to combined two strings.

 Example

class StringHandling
{
public static void main(String arg[])
{
String s1="Java";
String s2="Code";
String s3=s1.concat(s2);
System.out.println(s3);
}
}

Output

JavaCode

StringBuilder

It is a predefined class in java.lang package can be used to handle the String. StringBuilder class is almost similar

to to StringBuffer class. It is also a mutable object.

The main difference StringBuffer and StringBuilder class is StringBuffer is thread safe that means only one

threads allowed at a time to work on the String where as StringBuilder is not thread safe that means multiple

threads can work on same String value.

Difference between StringBuffer and StringBuilder

All the things between StringBuffer and StringBuilder are same only difference is StringBuffer is
synchronized and StringBuilder is not synchronized. synchronized means one thread is allow at a time
so it thread safe. Not synchronized means multiple threads are allow at a time so it not thread safe.

StringBuffer StringBuilder

1 It is thread safe. It is not thread safe.

Its methods are synchronized and provide Its methods are not synchronized and unable
2
thread safety. to provide thread safety.

Relatively performance is low because Relatively performance is high because no

3 thread need to wait until previous process need to wait any thread it allows multiple
is complete. thread at a time.

1 Introduced in 1.0 version. Introduced in 1.5 version.

When we use String, StringBuffer and StringBuilder

 If the content is fixed and would not change frequently then we use String.

 If content is not fixed and keep on changing but thread safety is required then we use StringBuffer

 If content is not fixed and keep on changing and thread safety is not required then we use

StringBuilder

StringTokenizer in Java

It is a pre defined class in java.util package can be used to split the given string into tokens (parts) based on

delimiters (any special symbols or spaces).

Suppose that we have any string like "Features of Java_Language" when we use stringTokenizer this string is split

into tokens whenever spaces and special symbols present. After split string are :

Example

Features

of

Java

Language

Methods of StringTokenizer

 hasMoreTokens()

 nextToken()

hasMoreTokens()

It is predefined method of StringTokenizer class used to check whether given StringTokenizer having any

elements or not.

nextToken()

Which can be used to get the element from the StringTokenizer.

Example of StringTokenizer:
Example of StringTokenizer

import java.util.*;
 class Stringtokenizerdemo
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
String str="He is a gentle man";
StringTokenizer st=new StringTokenizer(str," ");
System.out.println("The tokens are: ");
while(st.hasMoreTokens())
{
String one=st.nextToken();
System.out.println(one);
}
}
}

Output

The tokens are:

He

is

gentle

man

Data Conversion

In java programming we have six data conversion technique they are:.

1 Converting numeric string type data into numerical / fundamental type values

In order to convert numerical string into numerical or fundamental values we use the following generalized

predefined method which is present in wrapper classes.

Here xxx represent any fundamental data type.

Example

String s1="100";
int x=Integer.parseInt(s1);

Example

String s2="100.75f";
Float y=Float.parseFloat(s2);

2 Converting numeric / fundamental type values into string type values

In order to convert numeric / fundamental type values into string values, we use the following predefined static

overloaded method.

Here XXX represent any fundamental data type values

Example

int a=10;
3 Converting fundamental type values into object type values:

In order to convert the fundamental data into equivalent wrapper class object type data we use the following

generalized predefined parameterized constructor by taking fundamental data type as a parameter.

Example:

in JDK 1.4 converting fundamental data type values into wrapper class object is known as boxing. In the case of

JDK 1.5 and in higher version it is optional to the java programmer to convert fundamental data type value into

equivalent wrapper class object. That is implicitly taken care by JVM and it is known as auto boxing.

Definition of auto boxing

The process of implicitly converting fundamental type value into equivalent wrapper class object is known as auto

boxing.

4 Converting object type value into fundamental type value:

In order to convert wrapper class object data into fundamental type data, we use the following predefined instance

method present in each and every wrapper class.

In case of JDK 1.5 and in higher version it is optional to the java programmer to convert object data into

fundamental type data and this process is known as auto un-boxing and its takes care by JVM.

Definition of auto un-boxing

In process of implicitly conversion objects type data into fundamental type data is known as auto un-boxing.

5 Converting String type data into object type data

In order to convert String type numeric data into equivalent wrapper class object, we use the following predefined

parameterized constructor by each and every wrapper class except character class.
6 Converting wrapper class object type data into String type data

To convert wrapper class object type data into string type data we use the following generalized predefined instant

method which is present each and every wrapper class.

Example

int a=10;
 String is=String.valueOf(a);

 Integer io=new Integer(is);

 int x=io.intValue();

 Integer io=new Integer(n);

 String so=io.toString();

 int x=Integer.parseInt(so);