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title: starts_with({source_str}, {search_str})
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  - SQL for Analytics Developer Guide
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---

# starts_with({source_str}, {search_str})

Returns a Boolean indicating whether a string begins with the search string.

`STARTS_WITH()` follows this syntax.

- _source_str_

  - : The string to be searched.

- _search_str_

  - : The string to search for within the source string.

## Example

This example returns a Boolean that confirms whether the value in the `City` field begins with “Hen.”

```nolang
SELECT City, STARTS_WITH(City, "Hen") as "startValue"
FROM "Superstore"
LIMIT 5;
```

| City            | startValue |
| --------------- | ---------- |
| Henderson       | true       |
| Henderson       | true       |
| Los Angeles     | false      |
| Fort Lauderdale | false      |
| Fort Lauderdale | false      |