StringBuffer delete() Method in Java with Examples

Last Updated : 02 Feb, 2022

The java.lang.StringBuffer.delete() is an inbuilt method in Java which is used to remove or delete the characters in a substring of this sequence. The substring starts at a specified index start_point and extends to the character at the index end_point. Syntax :

public StringBuffer delete(int start_point, int end_point)

Parameters : The method accepts two parameters of integer type: start_point - This refers to the beginning index and is included in the count. end_point - This refer to the ending index and is excluded from the count. Return Value : The method returns the string after deleting the substring formed by the range mentioned in the parameters. Exceptions : StringIndexOutOfBoundsException occurs if the start_point is negative, greater than length(), or greater than the end_point. Examples :

Input: String = "Apple" start_point = 2 end_point = 4 Output: Ape Input: String = "GeeksforGeeks" start_point = 2 end_point = 7 Output: GerGeeks

Below programs illustrate the java.lang.StringBuffer.delete() method: Program 1:

java

// Java program to illustrate the // java.lang.StringBuffer.delete() import java.lang.*; public class geeks {  public static void main(String[] args)  {  StringBuffer sbf = new StringBuffer("Geeksforgeeks");  System.out.println("string buffer = " + sbf);  // Deleting characters from index 2 to 7  sbf.delete(6, 8);  System.out.println("After deletion string buffer is = " + sbf);  } }

Output:

 string buffer = Geeksforgeeks After deletion string buffer is = Geeksfgeeks

Program 2:

java

// Java program to illustrate the // java.lang.StringBuffer.delete() import java.lang.*; public class geeks {  public static void main(String[] args)  {  StringBuffer sbf = new StringBuffer("Welcome to Geeksforgeeks");  System.out.println("string buffer = " + sbf);  // deleting characters from index 5 to index 9  sbf.delete(5, 9);  System.out.println("After deletion string buffer is = " + sbf);  } }

Output:

 string buffer = Welcome to Geeksforgeeks After deletion string buffer is = Welcoo Geeksforgeeks

Program 3: Here the index is negative.

java

// Java program to illustrate the // java.lang.StringBuffer.delete() import java.lang.*; public class geeks {  public static void main(String[] args)  {  StringBuffer sbf = new StringBuffer("Welcome to Geeksforgeeks");  System.out.println("string buffer = " + sbf);  sbf.delete(-5, 9);  System.out.println("After deletion string buffer is = " + sbf);  } }

Output:

 Exception in thread "main" java.lang.StringIndexOutOfBoundsException: String index out of range: -5 at java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.delete(AbstractStringBuilder.java:756) at java.lang.StringBuffer.delete(StringBuffer.java:430) at geeks.main(geeks.java:13)

Program 4: Here the index is not present.

java

// Java program to illustrate the // java.lang.StringBuffer.delete() import java.lang.*; public class geeks {  public static void main(String[] args)  {  StringBuffer sbf = new StringBuffer("Welcome to Geeksforgeeks");  System.out.println("string buffer = " + sbf);  sbf.delete(99, 109);  System.out.println("After deletion string buffer is = " + sbf);  } }

Output:

 Exception in thread "main" java.lang.StringIndexOutOfBoundsException at java.lang.AbstractStringBuilder.delete(AbstractStringBuilder.java:760) at java.lang.StringBuffer.delete(StringBuffer.java:430) at geeks.main(geeks.java:13)