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