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Study Material for java

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String Functions
All string functions are defined in [Link] package under String class. It is a default package of java

1. length( ) – It is used to calculate number of characters of a string. Return type is int. This function
takes no argument. Example :

int l=”Softech”.length();

[Link](l); output : 7

2. charAt(int) – This function is used to extract single character from any index position of a string. It
returns a character and takes one integer type parameter or argument. Example :

char ch=”Softech”.charAt(3);

[Link](ch); output : t

3. substring(int, int) – This string function is used to extract any number of characters from any
position of a string. It returns a string and takes one or two int type arguments.

Example 1 : String s=”Softech”.substring(3);

[Link](s); output: tech

Example 2 : String t=”Softech”.substring(2,6);

[Link](t); output: ftec

4. indexOf(char) – This function returns position of a character(first occurrence) in a string. It takes one
character parameter and returns an integer value.

Example 1 : int a=”Softech”.indexOf(‘f’);

[Link](a); output: 2

Example 2 : int b=”Softech tutorial”.indexOf(‘t’,4);

[Link](b); output : 8 (1st occurrence from 4 position)

5. equals(String) – It is used to check equality of 2 strings and returns true or false value.

Example : boolean x=”softech”.equals(“SOFTECH”);

[Link](x); output : false

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6. equalsIgnoreCase(String) – This string function also checks for equality of 2 strings but does not
consider UpperCase or LowerCase i.e. does not make difference between capital or small letter
alphabets.

Example : boolean x= “Softech”.equalsIgnoreCase(“SOFTECH”);

[Link](x); output: true

7. concat(String,String) – It concatenates or adds 2 string and returns a new string.

Example : String str=”Good”.concat(“Morning”);

[Link](str); output: GoodMorning

8. lastIndexOf(char) – This function returns the position of a character(last occurrence) in a string.

Example: int p=”Softech tutorial”.lastIndexOf(‘o’);

[Link](p); output: 12

9. trim( ) – This string function removes leading and trailing spaces (space at the end) of a string.

Example : String s=” softech tutorial “;

[Link]([Link]()); output : softech tutorial

10. compareTo(String,String) – This function checks for equality of 2 strings lexicographically and
returns positive or negative or zero

Example 1 : int p=”softech”.compareTo(“SOFTECH”);

[Link](p); output : 32

Example 2: int q=”SOFTECH”.compareTo(“SOFTECH”);

[Link](q); output: 0 (since both strings are same)

Example 3: int r=”softech”.compareTo(“infotech”);

[Link]( r ); output: 10 (ascii code of ‘s’ is higher than ‘i’)

Example 4: int s=”Softech”.compareTo(“Soft”);

[Link](s); output: 3

11. replace(char,char) – This function is used to replace all occurrences of a character by another
character in a string. It returns s String type value. Remember this function is not recommended to use
in your program

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Example: String s=”Malayalam”.replace(‘l’,’p’);

[Link](s); output: Mapayapam

12. toUpperCase() – This string function converts the string from mixed case or from lowercase
alphabets to uppercase alphabets and returns a new string value.

Example: String s=”Softech”.toUpperCase( );

[Link](s); output: SOFTECH

13. toLowerCase( ) - This string function converts the string from mixed case or from uppercase
alphabets to lowercase alphabets and returns a new string value.

Example: String s=”SOFTEch”.toLowerCase( );

[Link](s); output: softech

14. startsWith(String) – It checks whether a string starts with another string or not and returns a boolean
value.

Example: boolean a=”Softech”.startsWith(“Soft”);

[Link](a); output: true

15. endsWith(String) – It checks whether a string ends with another string or not and returns a boolean
value.

Example: boolean a=”Softech”.endsWith(“Soft”);

[Link](a); output: false

Differentiate between the following functions :

a) charAt() and indexOf()

charAt() indexOf()

1. It returns single character from any position 1. It returns position of a character passed as
of a string parameter.
2. Return type is char 2. Return type is int

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b) equals() and compareTo()

equals() compareTo()

1. It checks for equality of 2 strings directly 1. It checks 2 strings lexicographically.

2. Return type is boolean. 2. Return type is int

c) startsWith() and endsWith()

startsWith( ) endsWith( )

1. Checks whether a string starts with another 1. It checks whether a string ends with another
string or not, and returns a boolean value. string or not, and returns a boolean value.

d) length() and length

Length( ) Length

1. It is a java string function defined under 1. It is not a function, it is a java predefined

String class variable.
2. It calculates the number of characters of a 2. It is used to know the size of an array.
String.

Character class functions

All the below-mentioned functions are defined under Character class of [Link] package. These
functions deal with single character only.

1. toUpperCase(char) –It is used to convert a character to capital letter. Return type is char.

Example : char c=’d’;

char p=[Link]( c );

[Link](p); output : D

2. toLowerCase(char) - It is used to convert a character to small letter. Return type is char.

Example : char c=’D’;

char p=[Link]( c );

[Link](p); output : d

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3. isLetter(char) – This function is used to check whether a character is an alphabet or not. If so then
returns true, otherwise returns false.

Example : char c=’6’;

boolean a=[Link](c);

[Link](a); output : false

4. isDigit(char) - This function is used to check whether a character is a digit or not. If so then
returns true, otherwise returns false.

Example : char c=’6’;

boolean a=[Link](c);

[Link](a); output : true

5. isLetterOrDigit(char) - This function is used to check whether a character is an alphabet or a

digit. If so then returns true, otherwise returns false.

Example : char c=’6’;

boolean a=[Link](c);

[Link](a); output : true

6. isUpperCase(char) - It is used to check whether a character is capital letter or not. If so then

returns true, otherwise returns false.

Example : char c=’A’;

boolean a=[Link](c);

[Link](a); output : true

7. isLowerCase(char) - It is used to check whether a character is small letter or not. If so then

returns true, otherwise returns false.

Example : char c=’A’;

boolean a=[Link](c);

[Link](a); output : false

Students are advised that they can use the above-mentioned functions in their programs in ICSE

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