Split()

Definition

split() is a method in Python that divides a string into a list of substrings based on a specified delimiter. If no delimiter is provided, it defaults to splitting by whitespace.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. split() returns a list of strings after breaking the given string by the specified separator.
2. By default, split() splits on any whitespace character such as space, tab, and newline.
3. An optional 'maxsplit' parameter can be used to limit the number of splits performed.
4. If the delimiter is not found in the string, split() returns a list containing the original string.
5. Using an empty string as a delimiter will result in an error.

Review Questions

• What does the split() method return when called on a string?
• How does split() behave if no delimiter is specified?
• What is the purpose of the 'maxsplit' parameter in the split() method?

Related terms

join(): join() is a method in Python that concatenates elements of an iterable (e.g., list) into a single string with a specified separator.

strip(): strip() is a method that removes leading and trailing whitespace from a string.

replace(): replace() is used to return a copy of the string where all occurrences of a substring are replaced with another substring.