JavaScript: String.prototype.split

str.split(string_separator)

Split the string by separator (a string). e.g. str.split(",")

Result is array. The separator is not included in result unless using regex arg with capture.

str.split(regex)

Split the string by regex. e.g. str.split(/ +/). [see JavaScript: RegExp Syntax]

If regex contains capturing parentheses, the captured parts are included in result.

str.split(sep, n)

Return a Array of n items at most.

str.split()

Return array of 1 element, the element is the whole string.

str.split("")

Each char is array element. (Note: if the string contain character whose codepoint ≥ 2^16, such as emoji 😂, the result may be “wrong”.) [see JavaScript: String Code Unit]

String Separator Example

The separator eats the string.

const xx = "abcde".split("c");
console.log(JSON.stringify(xx) === `["ab","de"]`);

Repeated space in string may result empty string element in array.

/* Repeated space in string may result empty string element in array. */

console.log(
  JSON.stringify(" a  b c ".split(" ")) === `["","a","","b","c",""]`,
);

/* using regex still have problem at the edges */
console.log(
  JSON.stringify(" a  b c ".split(/ +/)) === `["","a","b","c",""]`,
);

/* solution is use trim first, then regex */
console.log(
  JSON.stringify(" a  b c ".trim().split(/ +/)) === `["a","b","c"]`,
);

Use filter to remove empty string in array.

[see Array.prototype.filter]

Regex Separator Example

Using regex as separator.

const xx = "a  b c";
console.log(JSON.stringify(xx.split(/ +/)) === `["a","b","c"]`);

Using regex with capture.

const xx = "a  b c";
console.log(JSON.stringify(xx.split(/( +)/)) === `["a","  ","b"," ","c"]`);

[see RegExp Syntax]

Max Length Example

Limit max length.

const xx = `a
b
c`;

console.log(JSON.stringify(xx.split("\n", 2)) === `["a","b"]`);

Other Example

Split by a character that doesn't exist, return full string

// split by a char that doesn't exist, returns full string
console.log(JSON.stringify("abc".split("-")) === `["abc"]`);