> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/left.md).

# Left

Extract the leftmost count characters from a string

## Method Signature

```
Left(string=[string], count=[integer])
```

### Arguments

| Argument | Type      | Required | Description                           | Default |
| -------- | --------- | -------- | ------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `string` | `string`  | `true`   | The string to extract from            |         |
| `count`  | `integer` | `true`   | The number of characters to retrieve. |         |

## Examples

### Using left() on a string

In this example we'll use left() to return part of a string.

[Run Example](https://try.boxlang.io/?code=eJwrL8osSfUvLSkoLdFQyElNA5JKIRmpCoWlmcnZCklF%2BeV5Cmn5FQpZpbkFqSkK%2BWWpRQolQPmcxKpKhZT8dCUdBUNLBU0FTWsuAAH0GPg%3D)

```java
writeOutput( left( "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog", 19 ) );

```

Result: The quick brown fox

### Using left() with a negative count on a string

In this example we'll use a negative count to return part of a string.

[Run Example](https://try.boxlang.io/?code=eJwrL8osSfUvLSkoLdFQyElNA5JKIRmpCoWlmcnZCklF%2BeV5Cmn5FQpZpbkFqSkK%2BWWpRQolQPmcxKpKhZT8dCUdBV0jUwVNBU1rLgAbLBki)

```java
writeOutput( left( "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog", -25 ) );

```

Result: The quick brown fox

### Using left() in a function

In this example we'll use left() in a function to help us to capitalize the first letter in a string.

[Run Example](https://try.boxlang.io/?code=eJxty7EKAjEQhOHaPMVUcgcqWFuKb3CFbS7uxYW4nptdEMV3NxY2Yjv%2FN2H2sXBCNWXJmFyS8VWQ4swWCz%2Bog9LNWen0RUZ3Q49nWCiZq8D3sTZXaLIOUbNfSKxuhsNxWGHbaI8llPP5Ty4kv2Pj689tF17hDaJGNLo%3D)

```java

public string function capitalize( required string text ) {
	return uCase( left( arguments.TEXT, 1 ) ) & right( arguments.TEXT, len( arguments.TEXT ) - 1 );
}

```

### Using left() to test values

In this example we'll use left() to test the first five characters of a request context variable.

```java
if( listFindNoCase( "super,great,coder,rulez", left( rc.ANSWER, 5 ) ) ) {
	writeOutput( "You are an awesome developer!" );
}

```

### Using left() as a member function

In this example we'll use left() as a member function inside a function to help us to capitalize the first letter in a string.

[Run Example](https://try.boxlang.io/?code=eJxlyzEOwjAMBdCZnOJPKBmIxMzMDTqwhuAGS8EU15YQiLtTBhbY3wuTHztXzKYsDaNLNb4KapnYSucHRSjdnJVOX2R0NyQ8w0rJXAVFm19IbM7D%2FjDkTqNFbJGy1zJTTFj%2FEuV2XsxflAVvPnUXXuENAPc0eg%3D%3D)

```java

public string function capitalize( required string text ) {
	return arguments.TEXT.left( 1 ).ucase() & arguments.TEXT.right( arguments.TEXT.len() - 1 );
}

```

### Additional Examples

[Run Example](https://try.boxlang.io/?code=eJxLKc0t0FDISU0r0VBQSkxKTlHSUTBW0FTQtFbQ11cACnClIKsISC1JLQIq0TUEq%2BECKQKJcQEA1EkSxg%3D%3D)

```java
dump( left( "abcd", 3 ) ); // abc
dump( left( "Peter", -1 ) );
 // Pete

```

## Related

* [Ascii](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/ascii.md)
* [CamelCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/camelcase.md)
* [Char](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/char.md)
* [CharsetDecode](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/charsetdecode.md)
* [CharsetEncode](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/charsetencode.md)
* [Compare](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/compare.md)
* [CompareNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/comparenocase.md)
* [Find](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/find.md)
* [FindNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/findnocase.md)
* [FindOneOf](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/findoneof.md)
* [Insert](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/insert.md)
* [JSStringFormat](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/jsstringformat.md)
* [Justify](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/justify.md)
* [KebabCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/kebabcase.md)
* [LCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/lcase.md)
* [ListReduce](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/listreduce.md)
* [LJustify](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/ljustify.md)
* [LTrim](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/ltrim.md)
* [Mid](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/mid.md)
* [ParagraphFormat](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/paragraphformat.md)
* [PascalCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/pascalcase.md)
* [QueryStringToStruct](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/querystringtostruct.md)
* [ReEscape](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/reescape.md)
* [ReFind](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/refind.md)
* [reFindNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/refindnocase.md)
* [ReMatch](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/rematch.md)
* [reMatchNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/rematchnocase.md)
* [RemoveChars](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/removechars.md)
* [RepeatString](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/repeatstring.md)
* [Replace](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/replace.md)
* [ReplaceList](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/replacelist.md)
* [ReplaceListNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/replacelistnocase.md)
* [ReplaceNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/replacenocase.md)
* [ReReplace](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/rereplace.md)
* [reReplaceNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/rereplacenocase.md)
* [Reverse](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/reverse.md)
* [Right](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/right.md)
* [RJustify](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/rjustify.md)
* [RTrim](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/rtrim.md)
* [Slugify](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/slugify.md)
* [SnakeCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/snakecase.md)
* [SpanExcluding](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/spanexcluding.md)
* [SpanIncluding](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/spanincluding.md)
* [SQLPrettify](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/sqlprettify.md)
* [StringBind](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringbind.md)
* [StringEach](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringeach.md)
* [StringEndsWith](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringendswith.md)
* [StringEndsWithNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringendswithnocase.md)
* [StringEvery](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringevery.md)
* [StringFilter](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringfilter.md)
* [StringMap](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringmap.md)
* [StringReduce](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringreduce.md)
* [StringReduceRight](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringreduceright.md)
* [StringSome](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringsome.md)
* [StringSort](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringsort.md)
* [StringStartsWith](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringstartswith.md)
* [StringStartsWithNoCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stringstartswithnocase.md)
* [StripCR](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/stripcr.md)
* [Trim](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/trim.md)
* [UCase](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/ucase.md)
* [UCFirst](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/ucfirst.md)
* [Val](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/val.md)
* [Wrap](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/wrap.md)
* [YesNoFormat](/boxlang-language/reference/built-in-functions/string/yesnoformat.md)


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