Java String.replace() or StringBuilder.replace()

Question

In scenarios where I am using 5-10 replacements is it necessary to use stringbuilder.

String someData = "......";
someData = someData.replaceAll("(?s)<tag_one>.*?</tag_one>", "");
someData = someData.replaceAll("(?s)<tag_two>.*?</tag_two>", "");
someData = someData.replaceAll("(?s)<tag_three>.*?</tag_three>", "");
someData = someData.replaceAll("(?s)<tag_four>.*?</tag_four>", "");
someData = someData.replaceAll("(?s)<tag_five>.*?</tag_five>", "");
someData = someData.replaceAll("<tag_five/>", "");
someData = someData.replaceAll("\\s+", "");

Will it make a difference if I use stringBuilder Here.

`replace` not use regex, use `replaceAll`, and you can use a chaine or replaceAll instead for example `string.replaceAll(..).replaceAll(..).replaceAll(..)` — Youcef LAIDANI, Dec 22 '17 at 10:33
beside, why you don't want to use a single regex instead? i see many common parts — Youcef LAIDANI, Dec 22 '17 at 10:37
[RegEx for XML](https://stackoverflow.com/a/1732454/501011), eh? — MechMK1, Dec 22 '17 at 10:45
I have very small and simple xml. I think regex won't be a problem. @DavidStockinger — Saurabh Prajapati, Dec 22 '17 at 11:48

Andy Turner · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-22T10:40:20.337

8

Using StringBuilder won't make a useful difference here.

A better improvement would be to use a single regex:

someData = someData.replaceAll("(?s)<tag_(one|two|three|four|five)>.*?</tag_\\1>", "");

Here, the \\1 matches the same thing that was captured in the (one|two|etc) group.

edited Dec 22 '17 at 10:40

answered Dec 22 '17 at 10:39

Andy Turner

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Yeah, that's neat. Changing as you suggested Is stringBuilder needed or not? – Saurabh Prajapati Dec 22 '17 at 10:44
I don't know what advantage you think `StringBuilder` would confer here. You're doing regex replacement, which isn't supported by `StringBuilder`. Just stick with `String`. – Andy Turner Dec 22 '17 at 10:52

Java String.replace() or StringBuilder.replace()

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