String strip() in Python: An Overview on Strip() Function with Examples

The strip() function returns a duplicate of the string that has both the leading and trailing characters removed (based on the string argument passed).

Example

message = ‘Learn Python’

# remove leading and trailing whitespaces

print(‘Message:’, message.strip())

# Output: Message: Learn Python

String strip() syntax

The strip() function has the following syntax:

string.strip([chars])

strip() Parameters

chars (optional) – a string defining the characters to be deleted from the string’s left and right sides. Based on the given, the strip() function removes characters from both the left and right sides (a string specifying the set of characters to be removed). If the chars option is not specified, all leading and following whitespaces in the string are eliminated.

strip() Return Value

strip() returns a duplicate of the string with both the leading and trailing characters removed.

Python’s String strip() function will return:

• If the characters to be deleted are not given, the original string is returned with white spaces removed from the beginning and end.
• If there are no whitespaces at the beginning or end of the string, it will be returned as is and will match the original string.
• If the characters argument is provided, and the characters provided match, the characters at the beginning and end of the string will be deleted from the original string, and the remainder of the string will be returned.
• If the characters provided do not match the beginning or end of the original string, the string will be returned as is.

Working of the strip() method

When the character in the leftmost string does not match any of the characters in the chars parameter, it stops eliminating the leading characters.

Similarly, if the character on the right of the string does not match any of the characters in the chars parameter, it stops eliminating the trailing characters.

Example: Working of the strip() method

string = ‘SLA Welcomes All’

# Whitespaces at the beginning and end are eliminated

print(string.strip())

# All whitespace> SLA characters on the string’s left and right are eliminated 

print(string.strip(‘ SLA’))

# There is no space in the argument.

# There are no characters eliminated.

print(string.strip(‘stx’))

string = ‘android is good’

print(string.strip(‘an’))

Output

SLA Welcomes All

Wel

SLA Welcomes All

droid is nice

The first expression string.strip() without any parameters stripped the whitespaces from the left and right sides of the text.

• string.strip(‘SLA’) – Removes any whitespace, x, o, and e characters that before or followed the string.
• string.strip(‘stx’) – Because string contains whitespace at the beginning and end, this expression has no effect. Because x is in the midst of the string, it is not eliminated (whitespaces lead and trail the string)
• string.strip(‘an’) – Removes the string’s leading an.

Example 2: strip() on Invalid Data Type

The Python String strip() method only works on strings and will throw an error if used on any other data type such as a list, tuple, or array.

When used on a list, for example ()

mylist = [“a”, “b”, “c”, “d”]

print(mylist.strip()) 

The result will be an error

Output

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File “teststrip.py”, line 2, in <module>

    print(mylist.strip())

AttributeError: ‘list’ object has no attribute ‘strip’

Example 3: strip() Without character parameter

str1 = “Welcome to SLA!”

after_strip = str1.strip()

print(after_strip)

str2 = “Welcome to SLA!”

after_strip1 = str2.strip()

print(after_strip1)

Output

Welcome to SLA!

Welcome to SLA!

Example 4: strip() Passing character parameters

str1 = “****Welcome to SLA123!****”

after_strip = str1.strip(“*”)

print(after_strip)

str2 = “Welcome to SLA123!”

after_strip1 = str2.strip(“123!”)

print(after_strip1)

str3 = “Welcome to Guru123!”

after_strip3 = str3.strip(“to”)

print(after_strip3)

Output

Welcome to SLA123!

Welcome to SLA

Welcome to SLA123!