In Python, the split() method is used to split a string into a list of substrings based on a specified delimiter. It’s a fundamental string manipulation tool.
Basic Usage of split()
The syntax is:
string.split(separator, maxsplit)
Where:
- separator (optional): The delimiter string. Default is any whitespace.
- maxsplit (optional): Maximum number of splits. Default is -1 (all occurrences).
Splitting by Whitespace
Example:
text = "Python is awesome"
words = text.split()
print(words) # Output: ['Python', 'is', 'awesome']
Splitting by a Specific Delimiter
Split a string by commas:
data = "apple,banana,cherry"
fruits = data.split(",")
print(fruits) # Output: ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']
Using maxsplit Parameter
Limit the number of splits:
text = "one,two,three,four"
result = text.split(",", 2)
print(result) # Output: ['one', 'two', 'three,four']
Splitting Lines
Use splitlines() to split a string into a list at line breaks:
multiline_text = "Line1\nLine2\nLine3"
lines = multiline_text.splitlines()
print(lines) # Output: ['Line1', 'Line2', 'Line3']
Conclusion
The split() method is an essential tool for string manipulation in Python, allowing you to divide strings into manageable parts.