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)

Suggest improvement

StringBuffer append() Method in Java with Examples

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