The **`System.out.printf()` function** in Java allows users to print formatted data.

# Syntax


# Parameters

* `Locale` - if *not null*, the object is formatted according to  the norms of the specified region

## Example
Users in France may choose to print the date according to the local practice which involves the use of **comma** instead of **decimal** to represent floating point numbers. The syntax for that will be:

```Java
Date data = new Date();
System.out.printf(Locale.FRANCE, "Printing current data and time: %tc", data);

```

* `Object` - the object(s) to be printed on the screen

* `String` - the string being passed to the function contains the _conversion characters_

# Conversion characters
In order to simplify the formatting process, Java allows programmers to make use of certain keywords to format different data types.
Some of the commonly used specifiers are:

  + **s** – formats strings
  + **d** – formats decimal integers
  + **f** – formats the floating-point numbers
  + **t** – formats date/time values 

## Examples
Look at the following examples to get a better understanding of how the `printf()` function can be used in different situations. 
### 1. Printing a string

class JavaFormat
{ 
  public static void main(String args[]) 
  { 
    String data = "Hello World!"; 
    System.out.printf("Printing a string: %s\n", data); 
  } 
} 

>**Note:** Using the conversion characters in uppercase will print output in uppercase. 
Notice the change in the following code.
>
>For instance, `%S` will be used to print in upper-case instead of `%s` 

class JavaFormat
{ 
  public static void main(String args[]) 
  { 
    String data = "Hello World!"; 
    System.out.printf("Printing a string in uppercase: %S\n", data); 
  } 
} 

class JavaFormat
{ 
  public static void main(String args[]) 
  { 
    int x = 100; 
    System.out.printf("Printing a decimal integer: %d\n", x); 
  } 
} 

class JavaFormat
{ 
  public static void main(String args[]) 
  { 
    float x = 10.9; 
    System.out.printf("Printing a floating point number: x = %d\n", x); 
  } 
} 

import java.util.Date;

class JavaFormat
{ 
  public static void main(String args[]) 
  { 
    Date data = new Date();
    System.out.printf("Printing current data and time: %tc", data);
  } 
} 

### 5. Printing multiple objects
In addition to this, the `printf()` function permits users to print multiple objects at the same time. 

import java.util.Date;

class JavaFormat
{ 
  public static void main(String args[]) 
  { 
    String data = "Hello World!"; 
    int x = 9876;
    Date date = new Date();
    System.out.printf("Printing multiple data at once: %S %d %tA \n", data,x,date); 
  } 
} 

How to use the printf() function in Java

System.out.printf() in Java formats and prints data using conversion characters like %s, %d, %f, %t. It supports locale-specific formatting.

How to use the printf() function in Java

Syntax

Parameters

Example

Conversion characters

Examples

1. Printing a string

2. Printing a decimal integer

3. Printing a floating point number

4. Printing current date and time

5. Printing multiple objects