elasticsearch/docs/reference/query-languages/esql/_snippets/functions/left.md

LEFT [esql-left]

Syntax

:::{image} ../../../../../images/left.svg :alt: Embedded :class: text-center :::

Parameters

string : The string from which to return a substring.

length : The number of characters to return.

Description

Returns the substring that extracts length chars from string starting from the left.

Supported types

string	length	result
keyword	integer	keyword
text	integer	keyword

Example

FROM employees
| KEEP last_name
| EVAL left = LEFT(last_name, 3)
| SORT last_name ASC
| LIMIT 5

last_name:keyword	left:keyword
Awdeh	Awd
Azuma	Azu
Baek	Bae
Bamford	Bam
Bernatsky	Ber