Inserting string at position x of another string

Javascript Problem Overview

I have two variables and need to insert string b into string a at the point represented by position. The result I'm looking for is "I want an apple". How can I do this with JavaScript?

var a = 'I want apple';
var b = ' an';
var position = 6;

Javascript Solutions

Solution 1 - Javascript

var a = "I want apple";
var b = " an";
var position = 6;
var output = [a.slice(0, position), b, a.slice(position)].join('');
console.log(output);

Optional: As a prototype method of String

The following can be used to splice text within another string at a desired index, with an optional removeCount parameter.

if (String.prototype.splice === undefined) {
  /**
   * Splices text within a string.
   * @param {int} offset The position to insert the text at (before)
   * @param {string} text The text to insert
   * @param {int} [removeCount=0] An optional number of characters to overwrite
   * @returns {string} A modified string containing the spliced text.
   */
  String.prototype.splice = function(offset, text, removeCount=0) {
    let calculatedOffset = offset < 0 ? this.length + offset : offset;
    return this.substring(0, calculatedOffset) +
      text + this.substring(calculatedOffset + removeCount);
  };
}

let originalText = "I want apple";

// Positive offset
console.log(originalText.splice(6, " an"));
// Negative index
console.log(originalText.splice(-5, "an "));
// Chaining
console.log(originalText.splice(6, " an").splice(2, "need", 4).splice(0, "You", 1));

.as-console-wrapper { top: 0; max-height: 100% !important; }

Solution 2 - Javascript

var output = a.substring(0, position) + b + a.substring(position);

Edit: replaced .substr with .substring because .substr is now a legacy function (per https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/String/substr)

Solution 3 - Javascript

You can add this function to string class

String.prototype.insert_at=function(index, string)
{	
  return this.substr(0, index) + string + this.substr(index);
}

so that you can use it on any string object:

var my_string = "abcd";
my_string.insertAt(1, "XX");

Solution 4 - Javascript

Using ES6 string literals, would be much shorter:

const insertAt = (str, sub, pos) => `${str.slice(0, pos)}${sub}${str.slice(pos)}`;
    
console.log(insertAt('I want apple', ' an', 6)) // logs 'I want an apple'

Solution 5 - Javascript

Maybe it's even better if you determine position using indexOf() like this:

function insertString(a, b, at)
{
    var position = a.indexOf(at); 

    if (position !== -1)
    {
        return a.substr(0, position) + b + a.substr(position);    
    }  

    return "substring not found";
}

then call the function like this:

insertString("I want apple", "an ", "apple");

Note, that I put a space after the "an " in the function call, rather than in the return statement.

Solution 6 - Javascript

The Underscore.String library has a function that does Insert

> insert(string, index, substring) => string

like so

insert("Hello ", 6, "world");
// => "Hello world"

Solution 7 - Javascript

try

a.slice(0,position) + b + a.slice(position)

var a = "I want apple";
var b = " an";
var position = 6;

var r= a.slice(0,position) + b + a.slice(position);

console.log(r);

or regexp solution

"I want apple".replace(/^(.{6})/,"$1 an")

var a = "I want apple";
var b = " an";
var position = 6;

var r= a.replace(new RegExp(`^(.{${position}})`),"$1"+b);

console.log(r);
console.log("I want apple".replace(/^(.{6})/,"$1 an"));

Solution 8 - Javascript

If ES2018's lookbehind is available, one more regexp solution, that makes use of it to "replace" at a zero-width position after the Nth character (similar to @Kamil Kiełczewski's, but without storing the initial characters in a capturing group):

"I want apple".replace(/(?<=^.{6})/, " an")

var a = "I want apple";
var b = " an";
var position = 6;

var r= a.replace(new RegExp(`(?<=^.{${position}})`), b);

console.log(r);
console.log("I want apple".replace(/(?<=^.{6})/, " an"));

Solution 9 - Javascript

var array = a.split(' '); 
array.splice(position, 0, b);
var output = array.join(' ');

This would be slower, but will take care of the addition of space before and after the an Also, you'll have to change the value of position ( to 2, it's more intuitive now)

Solution 10 - Javascript

Quick fix! If you don't want to manually add a space, you can do this:

var a = "I want apple";
var b = "an";
var position = 6;
var output = [a.slice(0, position + 1), b, a.slice(position)].join('');
console.log(output);

(edit: i see that this is actually answered above, sorry!)

Solution 11 - Javascript

Well just a small change 'cause the above solution outputs

> "I want anapple"

instead of

> "I want an apple"

To get the output as