Difference between String Tokenizer and split Method in Java
Introduction
Today, let us understand the difference between String Tokenizer and Split Method. First, let us learn about the String Tokenizer and Split method individually and then know about their differences
String Tokenizer
The String Tokenizer is an in-built class present in java. util package. The in-built class name is StringTokenizer. This class is used to break a given String into small parts. These small parts are known as Tokens.
The given String is broken into Tokens only with a certain recurring condition. Generally, the String is a group of characters. These groups of characters are separated by a certain character
Example
1.) He is playing cricket
The above string has been divided by a special character known as space ( )
2.) A=1; b=1; v=1; d=1;
The above statement is also a string but is been divided with the help of a special character semi colon ( ; )
These special characters used for dividing the String into parts are known as delimiters.
Here, the delimiter of the first statement is space and the delimiter of the second statement is a semi colon.
Methods in String Tokenizer
| Method | Use |
| countTokens ( ) | The countTokens ( ) method is used to know the total number of tokens created from the specified String. The return data type for this method is Integer. |
| hasMoreTokens ( ) | The hasMoreTokens ( ) method is used to know whether we have any tokens further or not. If present, the value is true and in other cases false. The return data type for this method is Boolean. |
| hasMoreElements ( ) | The method hasMoreElements ( ) works same as the method hasMoreTokens ( ) |
| nextToken ( ) | The nextToken ( ) method is used to get the value of token. The values are printed only after checking the condition with the condition of hasMoreTokens ( ) The return data type for this method is String |
| nextElement ( ) | The method nextElement ( ) works same as the method nextToken ( ) The return data type for this method is the data type of the object created, except that its declared return value is Object rather than String |
StringTokenizer Class Initialization
Syntax
1.) StringTokenizer object name = new StringTokenizer (String s1);
Here, the delimiters are taken directly as Space.
2.) StringTokenizer object name = new StringTokenizer (String s1, String delimiter1);
Here, the delimiters are specified by us.
Example Program
File Name: StrTok. java
// A program for String Tokenizer
import java. util. *;
public class StrTok
{
public static void main (String [ ] args)
{
StringTokenizer st1 = new StringTokenizer ("He is Ben Stokes");
// No Delimiter Specified
System. out. println ("The total number of Tokens in String Tokenizer 1 are: "+st1. countTokens ());
System. out. println ("The token value of String Tokenizer 1 is: ");
while (st1. hasMoreTokens ())
{
System. out. println (st1. nextToken ());
}
System. out. println ("_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _\n");
StringTokenizer st2 = new StringTokenizer ("Vikram, Amar, Rolex, Dilli",", ");
// A delimiter of comma and space is given ", "
System. out. println ("The total number of Tokens in String Tokenizer 2 are: "+st2. countTokens ());
System. out. println ("The token value of String Tokenizer 2 is: ");
while (st2. hasMoreTokens ())
{
System. out. println (st2. nextToken ());
}
System. out. println ("_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _\n");
StringTokenizer st3 = new StringTokenizer ("Program finished with exit code 0");
// No Delimiter Specified
System. out. println ("The total number of Tokens in String Tokenizer 3 are: "+st3. countTokens ());
System. out. println ("The token value of String Tokenizer 4 is: ");
while (st3. hasMoreElements ())
{
System. out. println (st3. nextElement ());
}
System. out. println ("_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _\n");
StringTokenizer st4 = new StringTokenizer ("Brand_ value_ is_ equal_ to_ perception" ,"_ ");
// Delimiter "_ " is specified
System. out. println ("The total number of Tokens in String Tokenizer 4 are: "+st4. countTokens ());
System. out. println ("The token value of String Tokenizer 4 is: ");
while (st4. hasMoreElements ())
{
System. out. println (st4. nextElement ());
}
System. out. println ("_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _\n");
}
}
Output
The total number of Tokens in String Tokenizer 1 are: 4
The token value of String Tokenizer 1 is:
He
is
Ben
Stokes
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The total number of Tokens in String Tokenizer 2 are: 4
The token value of String Tokenizer 2 is:
Vikram
Amar
Rolex
Dilli
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The total number of Tokens in String Tokenizer 3 are: 6
The token value of String Tokenizer 4 is:
Program
finished
with
exit
code
0
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The total number of Tokens in String Tokenizer 4 are: 6
The token value of String Tokenizer 4 is:
Brand
value
is
equal
to
perception
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Split Method in Java
This is a method present in the java package named java. lang. This method is used to divide the elements into different entities. This is done for better viewing. The split method is an in-built method for Strings. So, this is used for better viewing of given or created String.
The elements after splitting are stored in String data typed array. The split method has two different syntaxes. Let us specify them first, and then explain them and their usage.
Syntax
1. String name. split ( String s1); // Here s1 indicates the delimiter not the String variable name
2. String name. split ( String s1, int limit); // Here s1 indicates the delimiter not the String variable name
Let us now learn about the first syntax now
String Name. split (String s1) Usage
Here, s1 indicates the delimiters. All the delimiters are considered as a String. Usually, a String is divided into small parts with the help of some delimiters. We use split method which has specified delimiter divides the whole String into smaller Strings and we store them in separate String arrays.
Example Program
File Name: Split1. java
// A program for explaining the first syntax of split ( ) method
public class Split1
{
public static void main (String[ ] args)
{
String str = "Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great";
String arr [ ] = str. split (" ");
System. out. println ("The String after splitting is:");
for (String i : arr)
{
System. out. println (i);
}
}
}
Output
The String after splitting is:
Don't
be
afraid
to
give
up
the
good
to
go
for
the
great
Explanation
The given String is - > Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great
The words in String are separated from each other by a delimiter named space ( “ “ )
The split method uses this delimiter and stores the small sub String which occurs before the occurrence of delimiter into the created String Array.
Example: This is Page
Here, the space occurs immediately after This. So, This is stored into the created String Array.
Example Program 2
File Name: Split2. java
// A program for explaining the first syntax of split ( ) method
public class Split2
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
String str = "Don't_ be_ afraid_ to_ give_ up_ the_ good_ to_ go_ for_ the_ great";
String arr [] = str. split ("_ ");
System. out. println ("The String after splitting is:");
for (String i : arr)
{
System. out. println (i);
}
}
}
Output
The String after splitting is:
Don't
be
afraid
to
give
up
the
good
to
go
for
the
great
String Name. split (String s1, int limit) Usage
Here, s1 indicates the delimiters. All the delimiters are considered as a String. Usually, a String is divided into small parts with the help of some delimiters. We use the split method which has a specified delimiter that divides the whole String into smaller Strings and we store them in separate String arrays.
All the splitting goes in the same way. But the number of splits occurring depends upon the value of limit. Based on the value of the limit, the number of sub strings created is dependent.
To be precise, the number of sub Strings created is numerically equal to the value of the limit specified.
Example Program
File Name: Split3. java
// A program for explaining the second syntax of split ( ) method
public class Split3
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
String str = "Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great";
String arr [] = str. split (" ", 7);
System. out. println ("The String after splitting is:");
for (String i : arr)
{
System. out. println (i);
}
}
}
Output
The String after splitting is:
Don't
be
afraid
to
give
up
the good to go for the great
Explanation
The given String is - > Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great
The words in String are separated from each other by a delimiter named space ( “ “ )
The split method uses this delimiter and stores the small sub String which occurs before the occurrence of delimiter into the created String Array.
The limit value limits the total number of sub Strings created.
Here the limit value is seven ( 7 )
So, splitting will be done till the sixth delimiter is found.
After that splitting process is stopped and remaining chunk of String becomes a last sub String of the created String Array.
Example Program 2
File Name: Split4. java
// A program for explaining the sec syntax of split ( ) method
public class Mainond
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
String str = "Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great";
String arr [] = str. split (" ", 5);
System. out. println ("The String after splitting is:");
System. out. println ("The 5 SUB STRINGS are: ");
for (String i : arr)
{
System. out. println (i);
}
}
}Output
The String after splitting is:
The 5 SUB STRINGS are:
Don't
be
afraid
to
give up the good to go for the great
Differences between StringTokenizer and split Method
| StringTokenizer | split ( ) method |
| It is a class present in java. util package | It is a method present in java. lang package |
| It can only return a single Sub String at a time | This method has the capability to return an array of Sub Strings at a single method call |
| It has constructors | No constructors are available |
| The String Tokenizer have a few methods like countTokens ( ), hasMoreTokens ( ), nextToken ( ), hasMoreElements ( ), nextElement ( ) . | split ( ) method itself is a method |
| The String Tokenizer do not have the concept of limiting the creation of Sub Strings | The split method has the concept of limiting the creation of Sub Strings |
| Hard Syntax to remember and not as flexible as spilt ( ) method for application | Easy Syntax and can be applied easily |
| Less powerful when compared to the split ( ) method | More powerful when compared to the String Tokenizer concept |
| Very Fast | Slow when compared to the String Tokenizer |
| Empty Strings cannot be specified | Empty Strings can be specified |