npm package: @stdlib/string-base-first
Description: Return the first UTF-16 code unit of a string.
Author: The Stdlib Authors
Latest version: 0.2.3

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<details>
  <summary>
    About stdlib...
  </summary>
  <p>We believe in a future in which the web is a preferred environment for numerical computation. To help realize this future, we've built stdlib. stdlib is a standard library, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computation, written in JavaScript (and C) for execution in browsers and in Node.js.</p>
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# first

[![NPM version][npm-image]][npm-url] [![Build Status][test-image]][test-url] [![Coverage Status][coverage-image]][coverage-url] <!-- [![dependencies][dependencies-image]][dependencies-url] -->

> Return the first `n` UTF-16 code units of a string.

<section class="installation">

## Installation

```bash
npm install @stdlib/string-base-first
```

</section>

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var first = require( '@stdlib/string-base-first' );
```

#### first( str, n )

Returns the first `n` UTF-16 code units of a string.

```javascript
var out = first( 'last man standing', 1 );
// returns 'l'

out = first( 'Hidden Treasures', 1 );
// returns 'H'

out = first( 'foo bar', 5 );
// returns 'foo b'

out = first( 'foo bar', 10 );
// returns 'foo bar'
```

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

<!-- eslint no-undef: "error" -->

```javascript
var first = require( '@stdlib/string-base-first' );

var str = first( 'presidential election', 1 );
// returns 'p'

str = first( 'JavaScript', 1 );
// returns 'J'

str = first( 'The Last of the Mohicans', 5 );
// returns 'The L'
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->

<!-- Section for related `stdlib` packages. Do not manually edit this section, as it is automatically populated. -->

<section class="related">

* * *

## See Also

-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/string-base/first-code-point`][@stdlib/string/base/first-code-point]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">return the first Unicode code point of a string.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/string-base/first-grapheme-cluster`][@stdlib/string/base/first-grapheme-cluster]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">return the first grapheme cluster (i.e., user-perceived character) of a string.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/string-base/last`][@stdlib/string/base/last]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">return the last UTF-16 code unit of a string.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/string-base/remove-first`][@stdlib/string/base/remove-first]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">remove the first UTF-16 code unit of a string.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/string-first`][@stdlib/string/first]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">return the first character(s) of a string.</span>

</section>

<!-- /.related -->

<!-- Section for all links. Make sure to keep an empty line after the `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->


<section class="main-repo" >

* * *

## Notice

This package is part of [stdlib][stdlib], a standard library for JavaScript and Node.js, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computing. The library provides a collection of robust, high performance libraries for mathematics, statistics, streams, utilities, and more.

For more information on the project, filing bug reports and feature requests, and guidance on how to develop [stdlib][stdlib], see the main project [repository][stdlib].

#### Community

[![Chat][chat-image]][chat-url]

---

## License

See [LICENSE][stdlib-license].


## Copyright

Copyright &copy; 2016-2026. The Stdlib [Authors][stdlib-authors].

</section>

<!-- /.stdlib -->

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[npm-url]: https://npmjs.org/package/@stdlib/string-base-first

[test-image]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/actions/workflows/test.yml/badge.svg?branch=v0.2.3
[test-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/actions/workflows/test.yml?query=branch:v0.2.3

[coverage-image]: https://img.shields.io/codecov/c/github/stdlib-js/string-base-first/main.svg
[coverage-url]: https://codecov.io/github/stdlib-js/string-base-first?branch=main

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[stdlib]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stdlib

[stdlib-authors]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stdlib/graphs/contributors

[umd]: https://github.com/umdjs/umd
[es-module]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Modules

[deno-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/tree/deno
[deno-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/blob/deno/README.md
[umd-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/tree/umd
[umd-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/blob/umd/README.md
[esm-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/tree/esm
[esm-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/blob/esm/README.md
[branches-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/blob/main/branches.md

[stdlib-license]: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stdlib-js/string-base-first/main/LICENSE

<!-- <related-links> -->

[@stdlib/string/base/first-code-point]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/string-base-first-code-point

[@stdlib/string/base/first-grapheme-cluster]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/string-base-first-grapheme-cluster

[@stdlib/string/base/last]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/string-base-last

[@stdlib/string/base/remove-first]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/string-base-remove-first

[@stdlib/string/first]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/string-first

<!-- </related-links> -->

</section>

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