Head a String
Keep the first few lines, words, or characters of a string. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
0 chars · 0 lines
Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Head a String
- 1. Paste your text. Enter the text you want to trim into the input pane, whether it's a multi-line log, a paragraph or a single long word.
- 2. Set how many to keep. Enter a number in How many to keep, then choose Lines, Words or Characters in Unit to decide what that number counts against.
- 3. Copy the trimmed result. Copy the first N lines, words or characters from the output pane into wherever you need a preview or a truncated version of the original text.
When to use Head a String
Head a String keeps only the beginning of a piece of text, counted in lines, words or characters, mirroring what the Unix head command does for files. It is for previewing large text without scrolling through the whole thing.
- Previewing the start of a long log file. You pasted a huge log dump but only need to check the first few lines to confirm the run started correctly. Set Unit to Lines and How many to keep to 20.
- Truncating a description for a preview card. A product listing's full description is too long for a summary card. Keeping the first 15 words gives you a clean, consistent preview length across listings.
- Sampling the beginning of a CSV export. A spreadsheet export is thousands of rows long and you just want to check the header and first few rows before writing an import script.
- Checking a string's opening characters. You want to confirm a generated identifier starts with the expected prefix without reading the entire value. Keeping the first 6 characters shows just that.
Examples
First two lines
Input
a b c d
Output
a b
About the Head a String tool
Head a String runs as plain JavaScript in your browser tab, with no server behind it. Keep the first few lines, words, or characters of a string. Whatever you put in stays on your device from start to finish.
The tool is part of EditSafely's String Tools section, 159 single-purpose utilities built around the same idea: open the page, get the result, keep your data to yourself.
You can shape the output with 2 settings, including How many to keep and Unit, and the result refreshes the moment you change one. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
That local-first design has practical benefits beyond privacy. The tool keeps working on a flaky connection once the page has loaded, results are instant because nothing round-trips to a server, and it is safe to use with confidential material.
Frequently asked questions
Is Head a String free to use?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Is it safe to paste sensitive or confidential data?
Everything happens locally. Your browser downloads the tool's code once, then does all the processing itself; nothing you enter is transmitted, stored or logged. You can even go offline after the page loads and it will still work.
How much text can I process at once?
There is no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your own device rather than on a shared server, the practical ceiling is your machine's memory, which comfortably handles inputs far larger than typical online tools allow.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. The tool works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. There is no account to create, no extension to add and no software to install.
How do I use the result?
The output panel has a one-click copy button, and you can keep refining the input while you work; the result updates in place as you type.