Trimming Whitespace in C# Strings with `string.Trim()`: A Comprehensive Guide

Learn how to efficiently remove leading and trailing whitespace from strings in C# using the `string.Trim()` method. This tutorial covers different variations of the `Trim()` method, including trimming specific characters, and provides clear examples to improve your C# string manipulation skills.

Trimming Whitespace in C# Strings using `string.Trim()`

Introduction

The `string.Trim()` method in C# removes leading and trailing whitespace characters from a string. Whitespace includes spaces, tabs, and newline characters. This is a common operation for cleaning up strings, especially when dealing with user input or data from external sources.

`string.Trim()` Method Signatures

There are two versions of the `Trim()` method:

public string Trim();
public string Trim(params char[] trimChars);

• The first version (without parameters) removes leading and trailing whitespace characters.
• The second version allows you to specify an array of characters to trim. If you don't provide an array, it defaults to trimming whitespace.

Parameters (Second Version Only)

trimChars: An array of characters to remove from the beginning and end of the string. If omitted (first version), whitespace is trimmed.

Return Value

A new string with leading and trailing whitespace (or specified characters) removed. The original string remains unchanged.

Example: Trimming Whitespace

using System;

public class StringExample {
    public static void Main(string[] args) {
        string s1 = "   Hello C#   ";
        string s2 = s1.Trim();
        Console.WriteLine(s2); // Output: Hello C#
    }
}

Hello C#
        

Explanation

The leading and trailing spaces are removed from the string " Hello C# " using `Trim()`. The result ("Hello C#") is stored in `s2`, and the original `s1` remains unchanged.

Conclusion

The `string.Trim()` method is a useful tool for data cleaning. It efficiently removes unnecessary whitespace, improving data quality and code readability.