string.rep()

The string.rep() function in Lua is used to generate a new string by repeating an existing string a specified number of times. This is useful for creating strings with repeated patterns or for formatting output.

Syntax

string.rep(string, times)

Parameters

Name
string
Type
string
Description
The string that will be repeated.
Name
times
Type
number
Description
The number of times to repeat the string. It must be a positive integer.

Return Value

Returns a new string that is the result of repeating the input string the specified number of times. If times is less than or equal to zero, an empty string is returned.

Examples

Example 1: Basic String Repetition

Repeat a simple string multiple times.

Example 1

local repeated = string.rep("Lua ", 3)
print(repeated)  -- Output: Lua Lua Lua

Example 2: Repeating with Different Values

Repeat a string with different numbers.

Example 2

local repeated = string.rep("A", 5)
print(repeated)  -- Output: AAAAA

Example 3: Handling Zero and Negative Values

Demonstrate behavior when times is zero or negative.

Example 3

local empty = string.rep("Hello", 0)
print(empty)  -- Output: (empty string)

local negative = string.rep("Hello", -1)
print(negative)  -- Output: (empty string)

Example 4: Creating Patterns

Use string.rep() to create a string pattern.

Example 4

local pattern = string.rep("-", 10)
print(pattern)  -- Output: ----------

Use Cases

Output Formatting: Creating formatted output for console display or logs.
String Manipulation: Building strings with repeated elements for various applications.