---
page_title: startswith - Functions - Configuration Language
description: |-
  The startswith function  takes two values: a string to check and a prefix string. It returns true if the string begins with that exact prefix.
---

# `startswith` Function

`startswith` takes two values: a string to check and a prefix string. The function returns true if the string begins with that exact prefix.

```hcl
startswith(string, prefix)
```

## Examples

```
> startswith("hello world", "hello")
true

> startswith("hello world", "world")
false
```

## Related Functions

- [`endswith`](/language/functions/endswith) takes two values: a string to check and a suffix string. The function returns true if the first string ends with that exact suffix.