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Java Java Basics Getting Started with Java Strings and Variables

Ranak Bansal
Ranak Bansal
1,207 Points
Posted by Ranak Bansal
Ranak Bansal
1,207 Points

What is the purpose of %s?

Why must we use the '%s' when calling a variable in our code? I am unable to understand what the %s does, and if it is being used to call our code, why do we have to type 'firstName' as well?

2 Answers

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,657 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,657 Points

The "%s" is a format specifier that serves as a placeholder in the template string for where the value of the variable will get plugged in. This particular one reserves space for a string variable, which is what the "s" stands for.

Sharena Bess
Sharena Bess
798 Points
Sharena Bess
Sharena Bess
798 Points

just asking to piggyback off of the original for my understanding, so does the %s call any(all) strings in in the file thus why you have to specify firstName. like if I had another string I would just use %s but at the end call it like console.printf(), lastName;???

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,657 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,657 Points

The "%s" acts as a placeholder for the string that is supplied as an additional argument, after the template itself. So they both need to be passed as arguments inside the parentheses, like this: "console.printf("%s", lastName)".