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Convert Your Text to snake_case Convert text to snake_case for Python variables and database columns.

snake_case Converter illustration
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snake_case Converter

Convert text to snake_case for Python variables and database columns.

1

Paste Your Text or Code Identifiers

Paste text or identifiers to convert to snake_case.

2

View the snake_case Output

See text converted with underscores between lowercase words.

3

Copy & Use

Copy the result for use in Python code, SQL, or config files.

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What Is snake_case Converter?

A snake_case converter transforms text into snake_case format, where all letters are lowercase and words are separated by underscores. Developers working with Python, Ruby, Rust, SQL database columns, and configuration file formats use it to adhere to the standard naming convention, such as PEP 8 in Python. One specific problem it solves is converting camelCase identifiers, like "getUserName", to a more readable format, "get_user_name", which is essential for maintaining clean and consistent codebases.

The tool is particularly useful when dealing with text that needs to be converted to snake case online, such as configuration files or database column names. It handles this conversion by first splitting the input string into individual words using regular expressions, then joining them back together with underscores in between, as seen in the splitWords function. This approach allows it to correctly handle complex cases, like "HelloWorld" being converted to "hello_world".

What makes this tool different is its ability to process text line by line, allowing for batch conversions of multiple identifiers at once, and its use of a callback function, onProcess, to perform the actual conversion. For example, when converting camelCase to snake_case, it replaces characters like underscores, hyphens, and dots with spaces before splitting the string into words, ensuring accurate results. This feature set makes it a reliable choice for developers looking to convert text to snake case online or generate snake case identifiers in their code.

Why Use snake_case Converter?

  • Required by Python's PEP 8 style guide for variables and functions
  • Standard for SQL database column and table names
  • Highly readable due to clear word separation with underscores
  • Handles conversion from any input format
  • Essential for Ruby, Rust, and many other languages

Common Use Cases

Python Development

Convert camelCase JavaScript code identifiers to snake_case for Python ports.

Database Design

Format column and table names in snake_case following SQL conventions.

API Responses

Normalize PascalCase or camelCase API keys to snake_case for Python consumption.

Config Files

Standardize environment variable names and config keys in snake_case.

Technical Guide

The tool's core logic lies in the `splitWords` function, which employs regular expressions to identify word boundaries. It uses three replace operations: one to insert spaces before uppercase letters following lowercase ones, another to separate consecutive uppercase letters, and a third to replace special characters like underscores, hyphens, and dots with spaces. The modified string is then split into words using one or more whitespace characters as delimiters, filtered to remove empty strings, and finally trimmed of leading and trailing whitespace. This approach ensures accurate word splitting even in complex cases, such as "helloWorld" or "get-UserName_fast".

The `onProcess` callback function takes the input string, splits it into lines using the newline character `\n`, applies the `splitWords` function to each line, converts all words to lowercase using the `toLowerCase` method, and joins them back together with underscores in between. The resulting lines are then joined with newline characters to form the final output string. This line-by-line processing allows for efficient handling of batch conversions. The use of React's `useCallback` hook ensures that the `onProcess` function is memoized, preventing unnecessary re-renders and improving performance. The tool's UI is built using the `TextToolLayout` component, which provides input and output fields with placeholders and labels.

In terms of data structures, the tool relies on arrays to store the split words and lines, as well as strings to represent the input and output text. The `splitWords` function returns an array of words, which is then mapped over to convert each word to lowercase and join them back together with underscores. The resulting string is then split into lines and processed further. This combination of arrays and strings enables efficient manipulation of the input text and production of the desired output format. The tool's algorithm preserves numbers within words by treating them as part of the word, rather than attempting to separate or modify them.

Tips & Best Practices

  • 1
    Python uses snake_case for variables, functions, methods, and modules
  • 2
    PostgreSQL convention is snake_case for table and column names
  • 3
    SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE (uppercase) is used for constants — see the CONSTANT_CASE converter
  • 4
    Ruby uses snake_case for methods and variables, similar to Python
  • 5
    snake_case is one of the most readable naming conventions for long identifiers

Related Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Q What is snake_case?
snake_case uses all lowercase letters with underscores between words: my_variable, get_user_name, first_name.
Q Why is it called snake_case?
The underscores connecting words look like a snake lying flat, hence the name snake_case.
Q Which languages use snake_case?
Python (PEP 8), Ruby, Rust, and PHP use snake_case. It's also standard for SQL database columns.
Q How is it different from kebab-case?
snake_case uses underscores (_) while kebab-case uses hyphens (-). Hyphens can't be used in most language identifiers.
Q How are numbers handled in snake_case conversion?
Numbers are preserved within the snake_case output: "user2name" becomes "user2_name" or "user_2_name" depending on context.

About This Tool

snake_case Converter is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.