How to Escape the Pipe Delimiter in String.split() for Regex Ambiguity Resolution?

Escaping the Pipe Delimiter in String.split() for Regex Ambiguity Resolution

When parsing pipe-delimited data, the need to escape the pipe character in the String.split() method arises due to its double role as a regex operator. In this context, the pipe ('|') character signifies an 'or' operation, creating ambiguity with its intended use as a delimiter.

To clarify the interpretation, escaping the pipe character with a backslash ('') informs the split() method to treat it as a literal symbol representing the pipe delimiter itself. This prevents misunderstandings with regex operators and ensures the expected splitting behavior.

Here's a practical demonstration:

<code class="java">private ArrayList<String> parseLine(String line) {
    ArrayList<String> list = new ArrayList<>();
    String[] list_str = line.split("\|"); // note the escape "\" here
    for (String s : list_str) { list.add(s); } return list;
}</code>

By escaping the pipe character, the split() method interprets it correctly as a delimiter, dividing the input line into its individual components.

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