JavaScript String split()

const message = "JavaScript::is::fun";

// divides the message string at :: 
let result = message.split("::");
console.log(result);

// Output: [ 'JavaScript', 'is', 'fun' ]

split() Syntax

The syntax of split() is:

str.split(separator, limit)

Here, str is a string.

split() Parameter

The split() method takes in:

• separator (optional) - The pattern (string or regular expression) describing where each split should occur.
• limit (optional) - A non-negative integer limiting the number of pieces to split the given string into.

split() Return Value

• Returns an Array of strings, split at each point where the separator occurs in the given string.

Note: The split() method does not change the original string.

Example: Using split()

console.log("ABCDEF".split("")); // [ 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F' ]

const text = "Java is awesome. Java is fun.";

let pattern = ".";
let newText = text.split(pattern);
console.log(newText); // [ 'Java is awesome', ' Java is fun', '' ]

let pattern1 = ".";
// only split string to maximum to parts
let newText1 = text.split(pattern1, 2);
console.log(newText1); // [ 'Java is awesome', ' Java is fun' ]

const text2 = "JavaScript ;  Python ;C;C++";
let pattern2 = ";";
let newText2 = text2.split(pattern2);
console.log(newText2); // [ 'JavaScript ', '  Python ', 'C', 'C++' ]

// using RegEx
let pattern3 = /\s*(?:;|$)\s*/;
let newText3 = text2.split(pattern3);
console.log(newText3); // [ 'JavaScript', 'Python', 'C', 'C++' ]

Output

[ 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F' ]
[ 'Java is awesome', ' Java is fun', '' ]
[ 'Java is awesome', ' Java is fun' ]
[ 'JavaScript ', '  Python ', 'C', 'C++' ]
[ 'JavaScript', 'Python', 'C', 'C++' ]

Note: If the separator is a regular expression with capturing parentheses, then each time the separator matches, the results of the capturing parentheses are spliced into the output array.

Recommended Reading: JavaScript Array join()