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Java Text Blocks

A text block is a string literal written across several lines. The lines inside the block become the lines of the string.

Three lines in one literal

The block below holds three lines of text. Printing the string prints all three lines.

public class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    String verse = """
        Roses are red
        Violets are blue
        Sugar is sweet
        """;
    System.out.print(verse);
  }
}

The closing delimiter sets the margin

Two blocks hold the same words at different depths. The comparison and the printout show both values come out the same.

public class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    String first = """
        one
        two
        """;
    String second = """
            one
            two
            """;
    System.out.println(first.equals(second));
    System.out.print(first);
  }
}

A block is a plain String

The block below feeds a String method like any other string. The method counts the lines inside it.

public class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    String menu = """
        Soup
        Salad
        Pasta
        Bread
        """;
    System.out.println(menu.lines().count());
  }
}

Example

public class Main {
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    String address = """
        Ada Lovelace
        12 Engine Way
        London
        """;
    System.out.println("Delivery address:");
    System.out.print(address);
    System.out.println("Lines: " + address.lines().count());
  }
}

Key points

  • A text block opens with three double quotes and a line break.
  • The content starts on the line after the opening delimiter.
  • The closing delimiter sets the indentation stripped from every line.
  • A text block value is a plain String, so String methods work on it.
  • One literal holds many lines without joining separate strings with plus signs.

In this example, one text block holds a three-line address, the program prints it under a label, and the lines method counts its three lines.

Note

Spaces inside a line stay untouched, since only the shared left margin is stripped.

Try it Yourself

Edit the code, then press Run.

Running is simulated

Exercise

What decides how much indentation a text block strips from each line?