Java Split String by Comma

It is a very common and mostly searched program by interviewers. We can split a string based on some specific string delimiter. We mostly spit a string by comma or space. We use the split() method of the string to split.

The syntax of the split() method is as follows:

public String split(String regex)
public String split(String regex, int limit)  

The split method accepts one or two parameters based on the requirement.

regex

The regex parameter defines a regular expression which is applied to the string/text.

limit

It defines the maximum number of values in the array. If the limit is 0, the method returns all the strings that match the given regex.

To learn more about the split() method, go through the following link: https://www.javatpoint.com/java-string-split

Let's take an example to understand how to split a string with the delimiter.

Suppose we have string str that is formed of words like Integer, Decimal, Float, Double and String - all separated by a comma.

Now, if we split the string by using the split() method, we will get five separate strings which are as follows:

Integer
Decimal
Float
Double
String

Let's implement the code for splitting a user-given string by a comma or space:

SplitStringExample1.java

// import required classes and package if any 
import java.util.*; 
 
// create class SplitStringExample1 to split string by comma 
class SplitStringExample1 { 
    
    // main() method start 
    public static void main(String[] args) { 
        
        String str1, str2; 
        
        // create Scanner class object to take input from user 
        Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in); 
        
        // take input from the user for str1 and str2 
        System.out.println("\nEnter String1 to split by comma: "); 
        str1 = sc.nextLine(); 
        
        System.out.println("\nEnter String2 to split by comma: "); 
        str2 = sc.nextLine(); 
        
        // use split(regex) and split(regex, limit) methods  
        String[] str1Array = str1.split(", "); 
        
        String[] str2Array = str2.split(", ", 3); 
        
        // use for loop to print each elements of the  arrays  
        System.out.println("\nElements after break "+str1+":"); 
        
        for (int i = 0; i < str1Array.length; i++){ 
            System.out.println((i+1)+" element: "+str1Array[i]); 
        } 
        
        System.out.println("\nElements after break "+str2+":"); 
        for (int i=0; i < str2Array.length; i++){ 
            System.out.println((i+1)+" element: "+str2Array[i]); 
        } 
    }
}

Output:

SplitStringExample2.java

// import required classes and package if any
import java.util.*; 
// create class SplitStringExample2 to split string by space 
class SplitStringExample2 { 
    
    // main() method start 
    public static void main(String[] args) { 
        
        String str1, str2; 
        
        // create Scanner class object to take input from user 
        Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in); 
        
        // take input from the user for str1 and str2 
        
        System.out.println("\nEnter String1 to split by space: "); 
        str1 = sc.nextLine(); 
        
        System.out.println("\nEnter String2 to split by space: "); 
        str2 = sc.nextLine(); 
        
        // use split(regex) and split(regex, limit) methods  
        String[] str1Array = str1.split(" "); 
        
        String[] str2Array = str2.split(" ", 3); 
        
        // use for loop to print each elements of the  arrays  
        System.out.println("\nElements after break "+str1+":"); 
        
        for (int i = 0; i < str1Array.length; i++){ 
            System.out.println((i+1)+" element: "+str1Array[i]); 
        } 
        
        System.out.println("\nElements after break "+str2+":"); 
        for (int i=0; i < str2Array.length; i++){ 
            System.out.println((i+1)+" element: "+str2Array[i]); 
        } 
    } 
}

Output: