Tutorials

C++ String Functions

Posted in C++ Tutorial

Updated on Sep 03, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 128 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 1 Comment

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

C++ provides a rich set of built-in functions for working with strings.

These functions enable you to perform various operations on strings, including manipulation, comparison, and searching.

In this reference guide, we'll explore some commonly used C++ string functions to enhance your understanding and usage of strings in C++.

📑 Table of Contents

Some of the commonly used string functions in C++ includes:

Functions	Explanation
find()	Used to locate the position of a substring within a string, returning the index of the first occurrence or npos if not found.
strcat()	Used to concatenate (append) one C-string to the end of another.
strchr()	Searches for the first occurrence of a character in a C-style string and returns a pointer to that character or null if not found.
strcmp()	Used to compare two strings lexically, returning an integer that indicates whether the first string is less than, equal to, or greater than the second string.
strcoll()	Used for string comparison based on the current locale, providing localized sorting and collation capabilities.
strcpy()	Used to copy a C-style string (character array) from a source to a destination, providing a fundamental mechanism for string manipulation.
strcspn()	Returns the length of the initial segment of a string that consists of characters not found in a specified set.
strerror()	Retrieves the descriptive error message corresponding to the value of errno.
strlen()	Returns the length of a C-style string, measuring the number of characters before the null terminator.
strncat()	Concatenates a specified number of characters from one string to another, ensuring a defined limit to prevent buffer overflow.
strncmp()	Compares specified numbers of characters between two strings and returns an integer indicating their relationship.
strncpy()	Copies a specified number of characters from one string to another, providing control over the length of the copied substring.
strpbrk()	Searches a string for any character in a specified set, returning a pointer to the first occurrence or a null pointer if none is found.
strrchr()	Returns a pointer to the last occurrence of a specified character in a given string.
strspn()	Returns the length of the initial segment of a string consisting of only characters that match those in another string.

🚀 Usage Tips

Explore the following tips to make the most out of C++ string functions:

Efficiency: Consider the efficiency of different functions when performing operations on large strings.
Error Handling: Pay attention to return values and error conditions, especially in functions that search or compare strings.
C++11 and Beyond: Explore modern C++ features for additional string manipulation capabilities introduced in C++11 and later.
Read Documentation: Refer to the official C++ documentation for detailed information on each string function.

📄 Example

string-functions.cpp

Copied

// Example: Using C++ string functions

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

int main() {
  std::string originalString = "Hello, C++ Strings!";

  // Use various string functions
  size_t length = originalString.length();
  std::string substring = originalString.substr(7, 3);
  int position = originalString.find("C++");
  originalString.replace(position, 3, "C++17");

  // Output the results
  std::cout << "Original String: " << originalString << std::endl;
  std::cout << "Length: " << length << std::endl;
  std::cout << "Substring: " << substring << std::endl;

  return 0;
}

💻 Testing the Program

Output

Original String: Hello, C++17 Strings!
Length: 19
Substring: C++

🧠 How the Program Works

This example showcases the use of length(), substr(), find(), and replace() functions to manipulate a C++ string. Experiment with different functions and parameters to see the diverse capabilities of C++ string functions.

🎉 Conclusion

This reference guide provides an overview of essential C++ string functions. By incorporating these functions into your code, you can efficiently manipulate and analyze strings in various ways. Experiment with these functions to discover their versatility and enhance your C++ programming skills.

If you have any questions or want to delve deeper into a specific function, please comment on this page.