Java String.format() and printf() methods

printf()
Format rules
conversion-character
width
flags
precision

1. printf()

In Java programming, you often come across System.out.printf(..) code. Actually, method printf(..) is defined in both PrintStream and PrintWriter classes, their usage is similar, printf stands for "Print + Format".

printf methods

// Definition of the printf methods in the PrintWriter class:

public PrintStream printf(Locale l, String format, Object... args)

public PrintStream printf(String format, Object... args)

// Definition of the printf methods in PrintWriter class:

public PrintWriter printf(Locale l, String format, Object... args)

public PrintWriter format(String format, Object... args)

System.out.printf(..) is a special case, used to write a formatted text to the Console screen, where System.out is essentially an object of type PrintStream.

System class

package java.lang;

public final class System  {

   public static final PrintStream out = ...;

}

Before we start, let's see a simple example:

Printf_ex1.java

package org.o7planning.printf.ex;

public class Printf_ex1 {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String firstName = "James";
        String lastName = "Smith";
        int age = 20;
        
        System.out.printf("My name is %s %s, I'm %d years old.", firstName, lastName, age);
    }
}

Output:

My name is James Smith, I'm 20 years old.

2. Format rules

%[flags][width][.precision]conversion-character

These parameters: flags, width, precision are optional.

3. conversion-character

%[flags][width][.precision]conversion-character

conversion-character	Description	Type
d	decimal integer	byte, short, int, long
f	floating-point number	float, double
b	Boolean	Object
B	will uppercase the boolean	Object
c	Character Capital	String
C	will uppercase the letter	String
s	String Capital	String
S	will uppercase all the letters in the string	String
h	hashcode - A hashcode is like an address. This is useful for printing a reference	Object
n	newline - Platform specific newline character - use %n instead of \n for greater compatibility

conversion-character: n

System.out.printf("One%nTwo%nThree");

Output:

One
Two
Three

conversion-character: s

System.out.printf("My name is %s %s", "James", "Smith");

Output:

My name is James Smith

conversion-character: S

System.out.printf("My name is %S %S", "James", "Smith");

Output:

My name is JAMES SMITH

conversion-character: b

System.out.printf("%b%n", null);
System.out.printf("%b%n", false);
System.out.printf("%b%n", 5.3);
System.out.printf("%b%n", "Any text");
System.out.printf("%b%n", new Object());

Output:

false
false
true
true
true

conversion-character: B

System.out.printf("%B%n", null);
System.out.printf("%B%n", false);
System.out.printf("%B%n", 5.3);
System.out.printf("%B%n", "Any text");
System.out.printf("%B%n", new Object());

Output:

FALSE
FALSE
TRUE
TRUE
TRUE

conversion-character: d

System.out.printf("There are %d teachers and %d students in the class", 2, 25);

Output:

There are 2 teachers and 25 students in the class

conversion-character: f

System.out.printf("Exchange rate today: EUR %f = USD %f", 1.0, 1.2059);

Output:

Exchange rate today: EUR 1.000000 = USD 1.205900

conversion-character: c

char ch = 'a';
System.out.printf("Code of '%c' character is %d", ch, (int)ch);

Output:

Code of 'a' character is 97

conversion-character: C

char ch = 'a';
System.out.printf("'%C' is the upper case of '%c'", ch, ch);

Output:

'A' is the upper case of 'a'

conversion-character: h

Printf_cc_h_ex.java

package org.o7planning.printf.ex;

public class Printf_cc_h_ex {

    public static void main(String[] args) {

        // h (Hashcode HEX)
        Object myObject = new AnyObject("Something");

        System.out.println("Hashcode: " + myObject.hashCode());
        System.out.println("Identity Hashcode: " + System.identityHashCode(myObject));
        System.out.println("Hashcode (HEX): " + Integer.toHexString(myObject.hashCode()));
        System.out.println("toString : " + String.valueOf(myObject));

        System.out.printf("Printf: %h", myObject);
    }
}

class AnyObject {
    private String val;

    public AnyObject(String val) {
        this.val = val;
    }

    @Override
    public int hashCode() {
        if (this.val == null || this.val.isEmpty()) {
            return 0;
        }
        return 1000 + (int) this.val.charAt(0);
    }
}

Output:

Hashcode: 1083
Identity Hashcode: 1579572132
Hashcode (HEX): 43b
toString : org.o7planning.printf.ex.AnyObject@43b
Printf: 43b

4. width

%[flags][width][.precision]conversion-character

width - specifies the minimum amount of space (number of characters) to hold for printing the contents of a corresponding argument.

printf(format, arg1, arg2,.., argN)

5. flags

%[flags][width][.precision]conversion-character

flag	Description
-	left-justify (default is to right-justify )
+	output a plus ( + ) or minus ( - ) sign for a numerical value
0	forces numerical values to be zero-padded (default is blank padding )
,	comma grouping separator (for numbers > 1000)
	space will display a minus sign if the number is negative or a space if it is positive

flag: -

String[] fullNames = new String[] {"Tom", "Jerry", "Donald"};
float[] salaries = new float[] {1000, 1500, 1200};
// s
System.out.printf("|%-10s | %-30s | %-15s |%n", "No", "Full Name", "Salary");

for(int i=0; i< fullNames.length; i++) {
    System.out.printf("|%-10d | %-30s | %15f |%n", (i+1), fullNames[i], salaries[i]);
}

Output:

flag: +

// flag: +
System.out.printf("The world's economy increased by %+f percent in 2020. %n", -3.3);
System.out.printf("China's economy increased by %+f percent in 2020. %n", 2.3);

System.out.println();

// without flag: +
System.out.printf("The world's economy increased by %f percent in 2020. %n", -3.3);
System.out.printf("China's economy increased by %f percent in 2020. %n", 2.3);

Output:

The world's economy increased by -3.300000 percent in 2020.
China's economy increased by +2.300000 percent in 2020.

The world's economy increased by -3.300000 percent in 2020.
China's economy increased by 2.300000 percent in 2020.

flag: 0 (zero)

// flag: 0  & with: 20
System.out.printf("|%020f|%n", -3.1);

// without flag & with: 20
System.out.printf("|%20f|%n", -3.1);

// flag: - (left align) & with: 20
System.out.printf("|%-20f

Output:

flag: , (comma)

// flag: ,
System.out.printf("%,f %n", 12345678.9);

// flag: ,
System.out.printf("%,f %n", -12345678.9);

Output:

12,345,678.900000
-12,345,678.900000

flag: (space)

// flag:  (space)
System.out.printf("% f %n", 12345678.9);
System.out.printf("% f %n", -12345678.9);  

System.out.println();

// flags:  , (space + comma)
System.out.printf("% ,f %n", 12345678.9);
System.out.printf("% ,

Output:

12345678.900000
-12345678.900000

 12,345,678.900000
-12,345,678.900000

6. precision

%[flags][width][.precision]conversion-character

System.out.printf("%f %n", 12345678.911);
System.out.printf("%f %n", -12345678.911);

System.out.println();

// flag: , (comma)
System.out.printf("%,f %n", 12345678.911);

// flag: , (comma)
System.out.printf("%,f %n", -12345678.911);

System.out.println();

// flags:  , (space + comma)
System.out.printf("% ,f %n", 12345678.911);

// flags:  , (space + comma)
System.out.printf("% ,f %n", -12345678.911);

System.out.println();

// flag: , (comma) & precision: .2
System.out.printf("%,.2f %n", 12345678.911);

// flag: , (comma) & precision: .3
System.out.printf("%,.3f %n", -12345678.911);

System.out.println();

// flags:  , (space + comma) & precision: .2
System.out.printf("% ,.2f %n", 12345678.911);

// flags:  , (space + comma) & precision: .3
System.out.printf("% ,.3f %n", -12345678.911);

Output:

12345678.911000
-12345678.911000

12,345,678.911000
-12,345,678.911000

 12,345,678.911000
-12,345,678.911000

12,345,678.91
-12,345,678.911

 12,345,678.91
-12,345,678.911

Java String.format() and printf() methods

1. printf()

2. Format rules

3. conversion-character

4. width

5. flags

6. precision

Java Basic

Java Basic

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