Manual String Parsing
Manual string parsing is a programming technique where developers write custom code to extract, manipulate, or analyze data from strings without relying on built-in parsing libraries or tools. It involves using basic string operations like splitting, slicing, searching, and iterating to process text data. This approach is often used for simple or custom data formats where standard parsers are unavailable or inefficient.
Developers should learn manual string parsing for handling ad-hoc text processing tasks, such as parsing log files, custom configuration formats, or legacy data that doesn't conform to standard structures like JSON or XML. It's essential in scenarios where performance is critical and overhead from libraries must be minimized, or when working in environments with limited parsing support, such as embedded systems or low-level programming.