PostgreSQL 18 reference · String Functions

PostgreSQL SPLIT_PART() Function

Split a string on a delimiter and return the nth field (1-based). Negative n counts from the end.

PostgreSQL 18

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Syntax

split_part(string, delimiter, n)

Parameter	Description
`string`	The input text.
`delimiter`	The separator text.
`n`	Which field; negative counts from the end.

Text (empty if the field doesn't exist).

Pick a field

SELECT split_part('[email protected]', '@', 2) AS domain,
       split_part('2026-03-09', '-', 1) AS year;

Output

   domain    | year
-------------+------
 example.com | 2026
(1 row)

Run this on your computer — see “Get Started” for setup.

From the end (14+)

SELECT split_part('a.b.c.tar.gz', '.', -1) AS last_part;

Output

 last_part
-----------
 gz
(1 row)

Run this on your computer — see “Get Started” for setup.

Version	Change
PostgreSQL 14	A negative `n` counts fields from the end.

STRING_TO_ARRAY() · Split a string on a delimiter into a text array. A third argument turns matching fields into NULL.
SUBSTRING() · Extract part of a string by 1-based position and length, or the part matching a regular expression.
REGEXP_SPLIT_TO_TABLE() · Split a string on a regular expression and return one row per piece. regexp_split_to_array() returns an array.
SQL String Functions · tutorial