# SUBSTRING\_INDEX

## Syntax

```sql
SUBSTRING_INDEX(str,delim,count)
```

## Description

Returns the substring from string *`str`* before count occurrences of the delimiter *`delim`*. If *`count`* is positive, everything to the left of the final delimiter (counting from the left) is returned. If *`count`* is negative, everything to the right of the final delimiter (counting from the right) is returned. `SUBSTRING_INDEX()` performs a case-sensitive match when searching for *`delim`*.

If any argument is `NULL`, returns `NULL`.

For example:

```sql
SUBSTRING_INDEX('www.mariadb.org', '.', 2)
```

It means "Return all of the characters up to the 2nd occurrence of ."

## Examples

```sql
SELECT SUBSTRING_INDEX('www.mariadb.org', '.', 2);
+--------------------------------------------+
| SUBSTRING_INDEX('www.mariadb.org', '.', 2) |
+--------------------------------------------+
| www.mariadb                                |
+--------------------------------------------+

SELECT SUBSTRING_INDEX('www.mariadb.org', '.', -2);
+---------------------------------------------+
| SUBSTRING_INDEX('www.mariadb.org', '.', -2) |
+---------------------------------------------+
| mariadb.org                                 |
+---------------------------------------------+
```

## See Also

* [INSTR()](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/string-functions/instr) - Returns the position of a string within a string
* [LOCATE()](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/string-functions/locate) - Returns the position of a string within a string
* [SUBSTRING()](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/string-functions/substring) - Returns a string based on position

<sub>*This page is licensed: GPLv2, originally from*</sub> [<sub>*fill\_help\_tables.sql*</sub>](https://github.com/MariaDB/server/blob/main/scripts/fill_help_tables.sql)

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