str.split

split([sep [,maxsplit]])

Return a list of the words in the string, using sep as the delimiter string. If maxsplit is given, at most maxsplit splits are done. (thus, the list will have at most maxsplit+1 elements). If maxsplit is not specified, then there is no limit on the number of splits (all possible splits are made). Consecutive delimiters are not grouped together and are deemed to delimit empty strings (for example, “‘1„2’.split(‘,’)”returns “[‘1’, ”, ‘2’]”). The sep argument may consist of multiple characters (for example, “‘1, 2, 3’.split(‘, ‘)” returns “[‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’]”). Splitting an empty string with a specified separator returns “[”]”.

If sep is not specified or is None, a different splitting algorithm is applied. First, whitespace characters (spaces, tabs, newlines, returns, and formfeeds) are stripped from both ends. Then, words are separated by arbitrary length strings of whitespace characters. Consecutive whitespace delimiters are treated as a single delimiter (“‘1 2 3’.split()” returns “[‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’]”). Splitting an empty string or a string consisting of just whitespace returns an empty list.