Find out if string ends with another string in C++

Solution 1:

Simply compare the last n characters using std::string::compare:

#include <iostream>

bool hasEnding (std::string const &fullString, std::string const &ending) {
    if (fullString.length() >= ending.length()) {
        return (0 == fullString.compare (fullString.length() - ending.length(), ending.length(), ending));
    } else {
        return false;
    }
}

int main () {
    std::string test1 = "binary";
    std::string test2 = "unary";
    std::string test3 = "tertiary";
    std::string test4 = "ry";
    std::string ending = "nary";

    std::cout << hasEnding (test1, ending) << std::endl;
    std::cout << hasEnding (test2, ending) << std::endl;
    std::cout << hasEnding (test3, ending) << std::endl;
    std::cout << hasEnding (test4, ending) << std::endl;

    return 0;
}

Solution 2:

Use this function:

inline bool ends_with(std::string const & value, std::string const & ending)
{
    if (ending.size() > value.size()) return false;
    return std::equal(ending.rbegin(), ending.rend(), value.rbegin());
}

Solution 3:

Use boost::algorithm::ends_with (see e.g. http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_34_0/doc/html/boost/algorithm/ends_with.html ):

#include <boost/algorithm/string/predicate.hpp>

// works with const char* 
assert(boost::algorithm::ends_with("mystring", "ing"));

// also works with std::string
std::string haystack("mystring");
std::string needle("ing");
assert(boost::algorithm::ends_with(haystack, needle));

std::string haystack2("ng");
assert(! boost::algorithm::ends_with(haystack2, needle));

Solution 4:

Note, that starting from c++20 std::string will finally provide starts_with and ends_with. Seems like there is a chance that by c++30 strings in c++ might finally become usable, if you aren't reading this from distant future, you can use these startsWith/endsWith with C++17:

#if __cplusplus >= 201703L // C++17 and later 
#include <string_view>

static bool endsWith(std::string_view str, std::string_view suffix)
{
    return str.size() >= suffix.size() && 0 == str.compare(str.size()-suffix.size(), suffix.size(), suffix);
}

static bool startsWith(std::string_view str, std::string_view prefix)
{
    return str.size() >= prefix.size() && 0 == str.compare(0, prefix.size(), prefix);
}
#endif // C++17

If you are stuck with older C++, you may use these:

#if __cplusplus < 201703L // pre C++17
#include <string>

static bool endsWith(const std::string& str, const std::string& suffix)
{
    return str.size() >= suffix.size() && 0 == str.compare(str.size()-suffix.size(), suffix.size(), suffix);
}

static bool startsWith(const std::string& str, const std::string& prefix)
{
    return str.size() >= prefix.size() && 0 == str.compare(0, prefix.size(), prefix);
}

and some extra helper overloads:

static bool endsWith(const std::string& str, const char* suffix, unsigned suffixLen)
{
    return str.size() >= suffixLen && 0 == str.compare(str.size()-suffixLen, suffixLen, suffix, suffixLen);
}

static bool endsWith(const std::string& str, const char* suffix)
{
    return endsWith(str, suffix, std::string::traits_type::length(suffix));
}

static bool startsWith(const std::string& str, const char* prefix, unsigned prefixLen)
{
    return str.size() >= prefixLen && 0 == str.compare(0, prefixLen, prefix, prefixLen);
}

static bool startsWith(const std::string& str, const char* prefix)
{
    return startsWith(str, prefix, std::string::traits_type::length(prefix));
}
#endif

IMO, c++ strings are clearly dysfunctional, and weren't made to be used in real world code. But there is a hope that this will get better at least.