How To Use Python String LStrip Method – Easy Python Code Examples

In this tutorial, we’ll learn what Python string lstrip() method is and how to properly use it. We’ll go through multiple Python code examples to understand how lstrip() method works.

Introduction: Python String lstrip() Method

This method returns a string after removing the leading characters from it and its based on the string passed as an argument to this method.

Syntax of lstrip() Method

string.lstrip(str(optional))

• Python string lstrip method supports a string parameter.
• This string parameter is optional and it specifies the characters to be removed from the left side of string.
• If no argument is passed to lstrip method then only the whitespaces from left are removed from string.
• Python string lstrip method return a new string with leading characters stripped(only whitespaces will be removed from left if no argument is passed).

Example 1: lstrip() Method with no Parameter

print('Python'.lstrip()) 
print(' Python'.lstrip()) 
print(' Python '.lstrip()) 
print(' Python Programming.'.lstrip())

Output

Python 
Python 
Python 
Python Programming.

Python string lstrip() method remove whitespaces from left as no string argument is passed to it.

Example 2: lstrip() Method with String Parameter

print(' rpPython'.lstrip('r'))       // no whitespace defined so r will not be removed
print(' rpPython'.lstrip(' r'))      // r removed from leading as whitespace is defined(both in string and argument)
print(' rrpPython'.lstrip('r '))     // all the r's are removed from leading
print(' rpPython'.lstrip('rpP'))     // whitespace defined in string but not in argument, so no removal
print(' rpPython'.lstrip(' rpP'))    // rpP removed
print(' rpPython'.lstrip('rpP '))    // rpP removed
print(' rpPython'.lstrip(' thn'))    // specified arguments characters not found in leading, so no removal
print(' rpPython'.lstrip('thn '))    // no removal as characters not found in leading
print(' rpPython'.lstrip('rthn '))   // r removed only, other characters don't match
print(' rpPython'.lstrip(' rthn '))  // r removed only, other characters don't match
print(' rpPython'.lstrip(' thr'))    // r removed only, other characters don't match so no removal of them

Output

  rpPython 
pPython 
pPython
  rpPython
ython 
ython 
rpPython 
rpPython 
pPython 
pPython 
pPython

You can try it with other examples as well to better understand how Python string lstrip() method works with string argument.

Example 3: lstrip() Method Return Value

val=' Python Programming Language' 
returnedVal=val.lstrip('Pytho Language') 
print(returnedVal)

Output

rogramming Language