Check If String Exists in List of Strings in PowerShell

To check if a string exists in the list of strings in PowerShell, you can use the -in operator or the Contains() method or -contains operator.

The following methods show how you can do it with syntax.

Method 1: Using the -in operator

$languages = "Java","Python","C#","Go"

$searchString = "C#"

$searchString -in $languages

This example will check if C# exists in the list $languages. It will return either True or False.

Method 2: Using the Contains() method

$languages = "Java","Python","C#","Go"

$searchString = "C#"

$languages.Contains($searchString)

This example uses the Contains() method to check the $searchString exists in the list variable $languages and returns either True or False.

Method 3: Using the -contains operator

$languages = "Java","Python","C#","Go"

$searchString = "C#"

$languages -contains $searchString

This example uses the -contains operator to check if the $searchString (C#) exists in the list $languages and returns either True or False.

The following examples show how you can use these methods to check if a string exists in the list of strings in PowerShell.

Check If String Exists in List Using the -in Operator

You can use the -in operator within an if statement to check if a string exists in the list of strings and return either True or False.

# define list
$languages = "Java","Python","C#","Go"

# define target string
$searchString = "C#"

# check if string exists in the list
if($searchString -in $languages) {
   Write-Output "The string $searchString is in the list"
}
else{
   Write-Output "The string $searchString is not in the list"
}

Output:

PowerShell check if string exists in list using -in operator — PowerShell checks if a string exists in a list using the -in operator

In this example, we define a variable named $languages which contains the list of strings and $searchString with a value of “C#“.

We then use the -in operator in the if statement to check if $searchString (C#) exists in the list named $languages and returns either True or False value.

Finally, after running the PowerShell script, it outputs “The string C# is in the list“.

Check If String Exists in List Using the Contains() Method in PowerShell

You can use the Contains() method directly on the list of strings to check if a string exists in the list of strings and return either True or False.

# define the list
$languages = "Java","Python","C#","Go"

# define the target string
$searchString = "PowerShell"

# check if string exists in the list
if($languages.Contains($searchString))
{
   Write-Output "The string $searchString is in the list"
}
else{
   Write-Output "The string $searchString is not in the list"
}

Output:

PowerShell check if string exists in list using Contains() method — PowerShell checks if a string exists in the list using the Contains() method

In this example, we define a variable named $languages which contains the list of strings and $searchString with a value of “PowerShell“.

We then use the Contains() method on the list of strings to check if $searchString (PowerShell) exists in the list named $languages and returns either a True or False value.

Finally, after running the PowerShell script, it outputs “The string PowerShell is not in the list“.

Check If String Exists in List Using the -contains Operator in PowerShell

Another way to check if a string exists in the list of strings in PowerShell is to use the -contains operator.

# Define list
$languages = "Java","Python","C#","Go"

# define the target string
$searchString = "Go"

# check if string exists in the list
if($languages -contains $searchString))
{
   Write-Output "The string $searchString is in the list"
}
else{
   Write-Output "The string $searchString is not in the list"
}

Output:

PowerShell check if string exists in list using -contains operator — PowerShell checks if a string exists in a list using the -contains operator

In this example, we define a variable named $languages which contains the list of strings and $searchString with a value of “Go“.

We then use the -contains operator in the if statement to check if $searchString (Go) exists in the list named $languages and returns either True or False value.

Finally, after running the PowerShell script, it outputs “The string Go is in the list“.

Conclusion

I hope the above article on checking if a string exists in the list of strings using PowerShell is helpful to you.

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