C# String Format tutorial

last modified July 5, 2020

C# String Format tutorial shows how to format strings in C#. We use string.Format(), Console.WriteLine(), and StringBuilder.AppendFormat() to format strings.

Composite formatting allows us to format strings in C#. It is supported by methods such as string.Format(), Console.WriteLine() or StringBuilder.AppendFormat() methods. A method takes a list of objects and a composite format string as input. The format string consists of fixed string and some format items. These format items are indexed placeholders which correspond to the objects in the list.

The format item has the following syntax:

{index[,alignment][:formatString]}

The index component is mandatory. It is a number starting from 0 that refers to an item from the list of objects. Multiple items can refer to the same element of the list of objects. An object is ignored if it is not referenced by a format item. If we refer outside the bounds of the list of objects, a runtime exception is thrown.

The alignment component is optional. It is the minimum number of characters in the string representation of the parameter. If positive, the parameter is right-aligned; if negative, it is left-aligned. If it is specified, there must by a colon separating the index and the length.

The formatString is optional. It is a string that formats a value is a specific way. It can be used to format dates, times, numbers or enumerations.

C# string format methods

In the following example, we use string.Format(), Console.WriteLine(), and StringBuilder.AppendFormat() to format strings.

Program.cs

using System;
using System.Text;

namespace StringFormatMethods
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var msg = string.Format("There are {0} owls", 5);
            Console.WriteLine(msg);

            Console.WriteLine("There are {0} eagles", 3);

            var builder = new StringBuilder();
            builder.AppendFormat("There are {0} hawks", 4);
            Console.WriteLine(builder);
        }
    }
}

The example formats strings using three different methods.

$ dotnet run
There are 5 owls
There are 3 eagles
There are 4 hawks

This is the output.

C# string format index

In the following example, we format three strings.

Program.cs

using System;

namespace StringFormatIndex
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int oranges = 2;
            int apples = 4;
            int bananas = 3;

            string str1 = "There are {0} oranges, {1} apples and {2} bananas";
            string str2 = "There are {1} oranges, {2} bananas and {0} apples";

            Console.WriteLine(str1, oranges, apples, bananas);
            Console.WriteLine(str2, apples, oranges, bananas);
        }
    }
}

We print a simple message to the console. We use only index component of the format item.

string str1 = "There are {0} oranges, {1} apples and {2} bananas";

The {0}, {1}, and {2} are format items. We specify the index component. Other components are optional.

Console.WriteLine(str1, oranges, apples, bananas);

Now we put together the composite formatting. We have the string and the list of objects (oranges, apples, bananas). The {0} format item refers to the oranges. The WriteLine() method replaces the {0} format item with the contents of the oranges variable.

string str2 = "There are {1} oranges, {2} bananas and {0} apples";

The order of the format items referring to the objects is important.

$ dotnet run
There are 2 oranges, 4 apples and 3 bananas
There are 2 oranges, 3 bananas and 4 apples

We can see the outcome of the program.

C# string format numeric data

The next example will format numeric data.

Program.cs

using System;

namespace StringFormatNumeric
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("{0}  {1, 12}", "Decimal", "Hexadecimal");

            Console.WriteLine("{0:D}  {1,8:X}", 502, 546);
            Console.WriteLine("{0:D}  {1,8:X}", 345, 765);
            Console.WriteLine("{0:D}  {1,8:X}", 320, 654);
            Console.WriteLine("{0:D}  {1,8:X}", 120, 834);
            Console.WriteLine("{0:D}  {1,8:X}", 620, 454);
        }
    }
}

We print numbers in a decimal and hexadecimal format. We also align the numbers using the length component.

Console.WriteLine("{0:D}  {1,8:X}", 502, 546);

The {0:D} format item specifies, the first item from the list of supplied objects will be taken and formatted in the decimal format. The {1,8:X} format item takes the second item. Formats it in the hexadecimal format :X. And the string length will be 8 characters 8 . Because the number has only three characters, it is right aligned and padded with empty strings.

$ dotnet run
Decimal   Hexadecimal
502       222
345       2FD
320       28E
120       342
620       1C6

Running the example we get this outcome.

The following example shows how to use various numeric notations.

Program.cs

using System;

namespace StringFormatNumericNotations
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Number: {0:N}", 127);
            Console.WriteLine("Scientific: {0:E}", 127);
            Console.WriteLine("Currency: {0:C}", 127);
            Console.WriteLine("Percent: {0:P}", 127);
            Console.WriteLine("Hexadecimal: {0:X}", 127);
        }
    }
}

The example demonstrates the standard formatting specifiers for numbers. Number 126 is printed in five different notations: normal, scientific, currency, percent and hexadecimal.

$ dotnet run
Number: 127.00
Scientific: 1.270000E+002
Currency: $127.00
Percent: 12,700.00%
Hexadecimal: 7F

This is the output of the program.

C# string format alignment

The alignment (or length) field is the minimum number of characters to be written to the output. If we use {0,10}, the output is right-aligned. For left-alignment, we specify a negative length field: {0,-10}.

Program.cs

using System;

namespace StringFormatAlignment
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(1);
            Console.WriteLine(16);
            Console.WriteLine(1655);
            Console.WriteLine(16567);
            Console.WriteLine(166701);

            Console.WriteLine("{0,10}", 1);
            Console.WriteLine("{0,10}", 16);
            Console.WriteLine("{0,10}", 1655);
            Console.WriteLine("{0,10}", 16567);
            Console.WriteLine("{0,10}", 166701);
        }
    }
}

First, we print five numbers without specifying the field length. The length of the output is equal to the number of the characters being displayed. In the second case, we have a field length of 10. Each of the five outputs has a minimum length of ten characters. The numbers are right aligned.

$ dotnet run
1
16
1655
16567
166701
        1
        16
        1655
        16567
        166701

This is the output.

C# string format date and time

The next example formats date and time data.

Program.cs

using System;

namespace StringFormatDateTime
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            DateTime today = DateTime.Now;

            Console.WriteLine("Short date: {0:d}", today);
            Console.WriteLine("Long date: {0:D}", today);
            Console.WriteLine("Short time: {0:t}", today);
            Console.WriteLine("Long time: {0:T}", today);
            Console.WriteLine("Month: {0:M}", today);
            Console.WriteLine("Year: {0:Y}", today);
        }
    }
}

The code example shows six various formats for current date and time.

$ dotnet run
Short date: 11/28/2019
Long date: Thursday, November 28, 2019
Short time: 1:27 PM
Long time: 1:27:23 PM
Month: November 28
Year: November 2019

This is the output of the example.

In this tutorial, we have formatted strings in C#.

Read C# tutorial or list all C# tutorials.

Ebooks

C# String Format tutorial

C# string format methods

C# string format index

C# string format numeric data

C# string format alignment

C# string format date and time