String variable interpolation Java

If you're using Java 5 or higher, you can use String.format:

urlString += String.format("u1=%s;u2=%s;u3=%s;u4=%s;", u1, u2, u3, u4);

See Formatter for details.

Just to add that there is also java.text.MessageFormat with the benefit of having numeric argument indexes.

Appending the 1st example from the documentation

int planet = 7;
String event = "a disturbance in the Force";

String result = MessageFormat.format(
    "At {1,time} on {1,date}, there was {2} on planet {0,number,integer}.",
    planet, new Date(), event);

Result:

At 12:30 PM on Jul 3, 2053, there was a disturbance in the Force on planet 7.

Note that there is no variable interpolation in Java. Variable interpolation is variable substitution with its value inside a string. An example in Ruby:

#!/usr/bin/ruby

age = 34
name = "William"

puts "#{name} is #{age} years old"

The Ruby interpreter automatically replaces variables with its values inside a string. The fact, that we are going to do interpolation is hinted by sigil characters. In Ruby, it is #{}. In Perl, it could be $, % or @. Java would only print such characters, it would not expand them.

Variable interpolation is not supported in Java. Instead of this, we have string formatting.

package com.zetcode;

public class StringFormatting 
{
    public static void main(String[] args) 
    {
        int age = 34;
        String name = "William";

        String output = String.format("%s is %d years old.", name, age);
    
        System.out.println(output);
    }
}

In Java, we build a new string using the String.format() method. The outcome is the same, but the methods are different.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_interpolation

Edit As of 2019, JEP 326 (Raw String Literals) was withdrawn and superseded by multiple JEPs eventually leading to JEP 378: Text Blocks delivered in Java 15.

A text block is a multi-line string literal that avoids the need for most escape sequences, automatically formats the string in a predictable way, and gives the developer control over the format when desired.

However, still no string interpolation:

Non-Goals: … Text blocks do not directly support string interpolation. Interpolation may be considered in a future JEP. In the meantime, the new instance method String::formatted aids in situations where interpolation might be desired.