Lodash _.split() Method

Beginner
5 min read
Updated: Nov 2026
5 examples
String
Decorative image with the word SPLIT

Definition

Splits string by separator and returns an array of substrings. Part of Lodash String since 3.1.0 (stable — not deprecated).

Note: Closely mirrors native String.prototype.split, but coerces null/undefined to '' first so you avoid TypeErrors.

Syntax

Call _.split. Start with this line.

Lodash
_.split([string=''], separator, [limit])
CallWhat it does
_.split([string=''], separator, [limit])Primary signature.
_.split(string)Transform or inspect a string.

Prefer import split from "lodash/split" when you want a smaller bundle.

Library declarations
Lodash
_.split([string=''], separator, [limit])

Parameters

ParameterDescription
stringOptional. Input to split; default ''
separatorOptional. String or RegExp delimiter
limitOptional. Max number of segments to return

Return Value

Return ValueDescription
*Array of substrings

Lodash Examples

Example 1 — Official: Separator + Limit

Split on - but keep only the first two segments.

Lodash
_.split('a-b-c', '-', 2);
// → ['a', 'b']
Try It Yourself

How It Works

  1. Separator. Split wherever - appears.
  2. Parts. Would be a, b, c.
  3. Limit 2. Keep only the first two.
  4. Result. ['a', 'b'] — no leftover third chunk.

Example 2 — Full Split (No Limit)

Omit limit to get every segment.

Lodash
_.split('a-b-c', '-');
// → ['a', 'b', 'c']
Try It Yourself

How It Works

  1. Two dashes. Three pieces.
  2. No limit. All segments returned.
  3. Order. Left to right.
  4. Use. Path / CSV-style tokenizing.

Example 3 — Regex Separator

Split on digit runs with a regular expression.

Lodash
_.split('a1b2c', /\d+/);
// → ['a', 'b', 'c']
Try It Yourself

How It Works

  1. Pattern. /\d+/ matches one or more digits.
  2. Cuts. Removes 1 and 2 as separators.
  3. Keep. Letter chunks a, b, c.
  4. Power. Use regex when the delimiter varies.

Example 4 — Split Into Characters

Empty-string separator yields one character per element.

Lodash
_.split('abc', '');
// → ['a', 'b', 'c']
Try It Yourself

How It Works

  1. Empty sep. Split between every character.
  2. Three chars. Three array items.
  3. Note. Surrogate pairs / emoji may need care in JS generally.
  4. Alt. For word tokens, prefer _.words.

Example 5 — Null-Safe Input

Nullish values are coerced — no TypeError.

Lodash
_.split(null, '-');
// → ['']

_.split(undefined, '-');
// → ['']
Try It Yourself

How It Works

  1. Coerce. null/undefined → ''.
  2. Split. Empty string with a separator → [''].
  3. Safe. Native null.split would throw.
  4. Habit. Handy in pipelines with optional fields.
Compatibility

Browser & Runtime Support

_.split is a Lodash String helper since 3.1.0. It runs anywhere Lodash runs — modern browsers (CDN or bundle) and Node.js / Bun / Deno with npm install lodash.

✓ Stable · Lodash 3.1.0+

_.split()

Available in [email protected] full builds and the lodash/split modular import. Works in evergreen browsers and current Node LTS when Lodash is installed.

100% With Lodash 3.1+
Google Chrome Supported · Desktop & Mobile
Full support
Mozilla Firefox Supported · Desktop & Mobile
Full support
Apple Safari Supported · macOS & iOS
Full support
Microsoft Edge Supported · Chromium
Full support
Internet Explorer No native support · Use a polyfill
Polyfill
Opera Supported · Modern versions
Full support
Samsung Internet Supported · Android
Full support
Bun Supported · JavaScript runtime
Supported
Deno Supported · JavaScript runtime
Supported
Node.js Supported · Server runtime
Supported
Android WebView Supported · Modern WebView
Full support
_.split Lodash 3.1.0+

Bottom line: Safe for production once Lodash is loaded. Prefer import split from "lodash/split" for smaller bundles. Use it for null-safe splits with an optional limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

_.split([string=''], separator, [limit]) splits string by separator into an array of substrings. Official: _.split('a-b-c', '-', 2) → ['a','b'].
Behavior is very similar. Lodash coerces null/undefined to '' first, so _.split(null, '-') returns [""] instead of throwing.
It caps how many segments are returned. With limit 2 on 'a-b-c', you get ['a','b'] — the rest is not included as a leftover chunk in Lodash’s documented example.
Yes. Example: _.split('a1b2c', /\d+/) → ['a','b','c'].
Use an empty string separator: _.split('abc', '') → ['a','b','c'].
Use import split from "lodash/split" or require("lodash/split") for tree-shaking. Full build: import _ from "lodash" then _.split.

Next: _.startCase()

Convert a string to Start Case for human-readable titles.

_.startCase() tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P
Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

  • Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
  • Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (Credly)

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