{"id":3324,"date":"2021-12-09T01:31:04","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T01:31:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/?page_id=3324"},"modified":"2021-12-10T02:09:10","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T02:09:10","slug":"python-regex-split","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-regex\/python-regex-split\/","title":{"rendered":"Python Regex split()"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you&#8217;ll learn how to use the Python regex <code>split()<\/code> function to split a string at the occurrences of matches of a regular expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='introduction-to-the-python-regex-split-function'>Introduction to the Python regex split() function <a href=\"#introduction-to-the-python-regex-split-function\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"introduction-to-the-python-regex-split-function\" title=\"Anchor for Introduction to the Python regex split() function\">#<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The built-in <code>re<\/code> module provides you with the <code>split()<\/code> function that splits a string by the matches of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-regex\/python-regular-expressions\/\">regular expression<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <code>split()<\/code> function has the following syntax:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><span><code class=\"hljs\">split(pattern, string, maxsplit=0, flags=0)<\/code><\/span><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>In this syntax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><code>pattern<\/code> is a regular expression whose matches will be used as separators for splitting.<\/li><li><code>string<\/code> is an input string to split.<\/li><li><code>maxsplit<\/code> determines at most the splits occur. Generally, if the <code>maxsplit<\/code> is one, the resulting list will have two elements. If the <code>maxsplit<\/code> is two, the resulting list will have three elements, and so on.<\/li><li><code>flags<\/code> parameter is optional and defaults to zero. The <code>flags<\/code> parameter accepts one or more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-regex\/python-regex-flags\/\">regex flags<\/a>. The <code>flags<\/code> parameter changes how the regex engine matches the pattern.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The <code>split()<\/code> function returns a list of substrings split by the matches of the pattern in the string.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the <code>pattern<\/code> contains one or more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-regex\/python-regex-capturing-group\/\">capturing groups<\/a>, the <code>split()<\/code> function will return the text of all groups as elements of the resulting list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the <code>pattern<\/code> contains a capturing group that matches the start of a string, the <code>split()<\/code> function will return a resulting list with the first element being as an empty string. This logic is the same for the end of the string.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='python-regex-split-function-examples'>Python regex split() function examples <a href=\"#python-regex-split-function-examples\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"python-regex-split-function-examples\" title=\"Anchor for Python regex split() function examples\">#<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s take some examples of using the regex <code>split()<\/code> function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='1-using-the-split-function-to-split-words-in-a-sentence'>1) Using the split() function to split words in a sentence <a href=\"#1-using-the-split-function-to-split-words-in-a-sentence\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"1-using-the-split-function-to-split-words-in-a-sentence\" title=\"Anchor for 1) Using the split() function to split words in a sentence\">#<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The following example uses the <code>split()<\/code> function to split the words in a sentence:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-1\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JavaScript\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"javascript\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-javascript\"><span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> re\n\ns = <span class=\"hljs-string\">'A! B. C D'<\/span>\npattern = r<span class=\"hljs-string\">'\\W+'<\/span>\n\nl = re.split(pattern, s)\nprint(l)\n<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-1\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JavaScript<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">javascript<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>In this example, the <code>\\W+<\/code> is the inverse of the word <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-regex\/python-regex-character-set\/\">character set<\/a> that matches one or more characters that are not the word characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Output:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-2\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JSON \/ JSON with Comments\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"json\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-json\">&#91;'A', 'B', 'C', 'D']<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-2\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JSON \/ JSON with Comments<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">json<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='2-using-the-split-function-with-the-maxsplit-argument'>2) Using the split() function with the maxsplit argument <a href=\"#2-using-the-split-function-with-the-maxsplit-argument\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"2-using-the-split-function-with-the-maxsplit-argument\" title=\"Anchor for 2) Using the split() function with the maxsplit argument\">#<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The following example uses the <code>split()<\/code> function that splits a string with two splits at non-word characters:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-3\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JavaScript\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"javascript\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-javascript\"><span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> re\n\ns = <span class=\"hljs-string\">'A! B. C D'<\/span>\npattern = r<span class=\"hljs-string\">'\\W+'<\/span>\n\nl = re.split(pattern, s, <span class=\"hljs-number\">2<\/span>)\nprint(l)\n<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-3\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JavaScript<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">javascript<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>Output:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-4\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JSON \/ JSON with Comments\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"json\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-json\">&#91;'A', 'B', 'C D']<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-4\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JSON \/ JSON with Comments<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">json<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>Because we split the string with two splits, the resulting list contains three elements. Notice that the <code>split()<\/code> function returns the remainder of a string as the final element in the resulting list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='3-using-the-split-function-with-a-capturing-group'>3) Using the split() function with a capturing group <a href=\"#3-using-the-split-function-with-a-capturing-group\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"3-using-the-split-function-with-a-capturing-group\" title=\"Anchor for 3) Using the split() function with a capturing group\">#<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The following example uses the <code>split()<\/code> function that splits a string with the <code>\\W+<\/code> pattern that contains a capturing group:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-5\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JavaScript\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"javascript\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-javascript\"><span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> re\n\ns = <span class=\"hljs-string\">'A! B. C D'<\/span>\npattern = r<span class=\"hljs-string\">'(\\W+)'<\/span>\n\nl = re.split(pattern, s, <span class=\"hljs-number\">2<\/span>)\nprint(l)\n<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-5\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JavaScript<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">javascript<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>Output:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-6\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JSON \/ JSON with Comments\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"json\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-json\">&#91;'A', '! ', 'B', '. ', 'C D']<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-6\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JSON \/ JSON with Comments<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">json<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>In this example, the <code>split()<\/code> function also returns the text of the group in the resulting list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='4-using-the-split-function'>4) Using the split() function  <a href=\"#4-using-the-split-function\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"4-using-the-split-function\" title=\"Anchor for 4) Using the split() function \">#<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The following example uses the <code>split()<\/code> function where the separator contains a capturing group that matches the start of the string:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-7\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JavaScript\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"javascript\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-javascript\"><span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> re\n\ns = <span class=\"hljs-string\">'...A! B. C D'<\/span>\npattern = r<span class=\"hljs-string\">'\\W+'<\/span>\n\nl = re.split(pattern, s)\nprint(l)<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-7\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JavaScript<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">javascript<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>In this case, the <code>split()<\/code> function returns a list with the first element is an empty string:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-8\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JSON \/ JSON with Comments\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"json\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-json\">&#91;'', 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D']<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-8\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JSON \/ JSON with Comments<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">json<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>Similarly, if the separator contains the capturing groups and it matches the end of the string, the resulting list will have the last element as an empty string:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-9\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JavaScript\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"javascript\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-javascript\"><span class=\"hljs-keyword\">import<\/span> re\n\ns = <span class=\"hljs-string\">'A! B. C D...'<\/span>\npattern = r<span class=\"hljs-string\">'\\W+'<\/span>\n\nl = re.split(pattern, s)\nprint(l)\n<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-9\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JavaScript<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">javascript<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<p>Output:<\/p>\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\" aria-describedby=\"shcb-language-10\" data-shcb-language-name=\"JSON \/ JSON with Comments\" data-shcb-language-slug=\"json\"><span><code class=\"hljs language-json\">&#91;'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', '']<\/code><\/span><small class=\"shcb-language\" id=\"shcb-language-10\"><span class=\"shcb-language__label\">Code language:<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__name\">JSON \/ JSON with Comments<\/span> <span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">(<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__slug\">json<\/span><span class=\"shcb-language__paren\">)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id='summary'>Summary <a href=\"#summary\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"summary\" title=\"Anchor for Summary\">#<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Use the Python regex <code>split()<\/code> function to split a string using sepators as the matches of a regular expression.<\/li><\/ul>\n<div class=\"helpful-block-content\" data-title=\"\">\n\t<header>\n\t\t<div class=\"wth-question\">Was this tutorial helpful ?<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wth-thumbs\">\n\t\t\t<button\n\t\t\t\tdata-post=\"3324\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-url=\"https:\/\/www.pythontutorial.net\/python-regex\/python-regex-split\/\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-post-title=\"Python Regex split()\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-response=\"1\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"wth-btn-rounded wth-yes-btn\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<svg\n\t\t\t\t\txmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n\t\t\t\t\tviewBox=\"0 0 24 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