A quick guide on how to add a new line in java for string formatting to go to the next line.
1. Overview
In this tutorial, We'll learn how to add and print the new line to string formatting the text in a better way.
Formating strings and resulting in the text in a different format is often needed in java programming.
Let us focus on adding new line escape characters in java. Example programs on adding newline character to String and to HTML contents.
And also we will discuss What is the difference between \n and \r (\n vs \r)?
we have already discussed the difference between \n and \t
2. Adding Newline to String in Java
Every operating system has its own special escape sequence to depict the new line character.
New lines characters are different for the operating system. For example, Linux considers the new line character by \n which is sometimes called Line Feed(LF).
And in windows operating system considers the new line by the "\r\n" combination and this is called as Carriage Return and Line Feed(CRLF).
It is possible to add the new line character escape sequences such as "\n", "\r" and "\r\n" in the string at any index or at the end of the string.
2.1 Using \n and \r Line Breaks
We can use these line breaks in the strings or can use to combine or mix strings with these escapes.
Let us see them with the related to the operating system.
Linux/Unix/mac os example
Create two strings and concat them with + operator along with the line breaks.
package com.javaprogramto.programs.escape.newline;
public class AddNewLineExample1 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
String line1 = "Hello engeers";
String line2 = "hope you are staying safe";
String line3 = line1 + "\n" + line2;
System.out.println("Mac or unix or linux newline with \\n");
System.out.println(line3);
}
}
Output
Mac or unix or linux newline with \n Hello engeers hope you are staying safe
We can see that output string1 and string2 are separated with the new line.
Print newline character on windows operating system
we need to use the carriage return "\r\n" for accuracy.
package com.javaprogramto.programs.escape.newline;
public class AddNewLineExample2 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// windows os
String line1 = "Hello engeers";
String line2 = "hope you are staying safe";
String line3 = line1 + "\r\n" + line2;
System.out.println("windwos print newline with \\r\\n");
System.out.println(line3);
}
}
Output
windwos print newline with \r\n Hello engeers hope you are staying safe
Print new lines in a string with old Mac OS
Use just "\r" to print the new line in java.
package com.javaprogramto.programs.escape.newline;
public class AddNewLineExample3 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// old mac os based
String line1 = "Hello engeers";
String line2 = "hope you are staying safe";
String line3 = line1 + "\r" + line2;
System.out.println("Old mac os print newline with \\r");
System.out.println(line3);
}
}
2.2 Use Sytem Depenent New Line Separtor
To make sure your code run always fine on any operating system, java provides a System API to add a new line independently from the java code.
This can be done in two ways as below.
a) System.lineSeparator()
b) System.getProperty()
System.lineSeparator() - Add new line example
How to add a new line with system class?
package com.javaprogramto.programs.escape.newline;
public class AddNewLineExample4 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Using java api system class lineSeparator() method
String line1 = "Hello engeers";
String line2 = "hope you are staying safe";
String line3 = line1 + System.lineSeparator() + line2;
System.out.println("print newline with System.lineSeparator() method");
System.out.println(line3);
}
}
This code works perfectly fine on any operating system.
Output
print newline with System.lineSeparator() method Hello engeers hope you are staying safe
System.getProperty() - Add new line example
Example With the system-level property and pass "line.separator" value to the getProperty() method. This method gets it from the system level environment variables.
package com.javaprogramto.programs.escape.newline;
public class AddNewLineExample4 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Using java api system class getProperty() method
String line1 = "Hello engeers";
String line2 = "hope you are staying safe";
String line3 = line1 + System.getProperty("line.separator") + line2;
System.out.println("print newline with System.getPropertyr() method");
System.out.println(line3);
}
}
Output
print newline with System.getProperty() method Hello engeers hope you are staying safe
2.3 Use Sytem InDepenent New Line Separtor
Apart from the system independent line separator to print new lines.
If you are not using the above two methods then whatever we use the line breakers are the system independent.
So, when you are using the system.out.printf() or String.format() methods, then it is very convenient to include a line separator within the text rather than adding explicit concatenation.
Line separator with "%n" system dependent example
package com.javaprogramto.programs.escape.newline;
public class AddNewLineExample5 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Using system dependent %n
String line1 = "Hello engeers%nwelcome to the java blog";
System.out.println("print newline with %n line separator");
System.out.printf(line1);
}
}
Output
print newline with %n line separator Hello engeers welcome to the java blog
Note: %n line separtor will work with only printf() and String.format() methods.
3 Add Newline in Html Page
If you are constructing the Html tags within java code then you have three options to add the new blank lines.
3.1 Html Break tag
3.2 New line \n character
3.3 Unicode characters
ASCII code 13 corresponds to a Carriage Return (it's "\r").
ASCII code 10 corresponds to a Line Feed (it's "\n").
Example
The below example covers the different ways to add the new lines in Html tags.
package com.javaprogramto.programs.escape.newline;
public class AddNewLineExample6 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// html break tag
String tag1 = "<p>hello</p>";
String tag2 = "<p>world</p>";
String tag3 = tag1 + "</br>" + tag2;
// using java \n
String tag4 = tag1 + "\n" + tag3;
// using unicodes
String tag5 = "<p>This is paragraph text and
woops there is a new line.</p>";
}
}
4. Difference between \n and \r
\n is represented as ASCII code 13 and \r is with ASCII code 10. These two lines represent the beaking of two lines but the operating system use them in a different way.
In Unix, only the \n char is enough to break the string into a new line but whereas in windows \r is followed by \n characters. So, the windows operating system needs two characters of an escape sequence.
While developing the java application and working with new line breaks you must have to take special care about them because these strictly follow the operating system rules.
It is always suggested to go with the OS-independent new lines with the use of System.lineSeparator() method. So, now you do not need to worry about OS related issues.
5. Conclusion
In this article, we've seen how to add new line breaks in strings and Html.
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