Python String Methods
definitions
python
string-methods
strings
Strings are objects with built-in methods — callable via obj.method() syntax, unlike free functions. Review all of them with help(str), or a specific one with help(str.<name>).
Reading a method’s help
Square brackets in a signature indicate optional parameters, and the rule recurses:
S.find(sub[, start[, end]]) -> intmeans sub is required, start is optional, and end is optional but only meaningful once start is given.
Common string methods
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
s.find(sub[, start[, end]]) |
Lowest index where sub occurs in s[start:end], or -1 |
s.title() |
Title-cased version of s |
s.center(width, fillchar=' ') |
Centre s in a string of length width |
s.split(sep=None) |
Split s on sep (default: any whitespace) into a list |
sep.join(xs) |
Join a list of strings xs, placing sep between each |
s.strip(chars=None) |
Remove leading/trailing whitespace (or chars) from s |
>>> "team".find("I", 1, -1)
-1
>>> "a tale of two cities".title()
'A Tale Of Two Cities'
>>> "spam".center(10, "x")
'xxxspamxxx'
>>> "a, b, c".split(", ")
['a', 'b', 'c']
>>> "xxx".join(["A", "B", "C"])
'AxxxBxxxC'
>>> " 123 \n".strip()
'123'