---
title: Use Contains to check if a string contains something
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Static Code Analysis (SAST) > SAST
  Rules > Use Contains to check if a string contains something
---

# Use Contains to check if a string contains something

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## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**ID:** `csharp-best-practices/indexof-contains`

**Language:** C#

**Severity:** Info

**Category:** Best Practices

## Description{% #description %}

To check is a string contains a sub-string, use `Contains()` and do not use proxy functions such as `IndexOf`.

## Non-Compliant Code Examples{% #non-compliant-code-examples %}

```csharp
class MyClass {
    public static void processString(string s)
    {
        if(strings.IndexOf(s) == -1) {
            // do something
        }

        if(strings.IndexOf(s) < 0) {
            // do something else
        }

        if(strings.IndexOf(s) >= 0) {
            // or do this
        }
    }
}
```

## Compliant Code Examples{% #compliant-code-examples %}

```csharp
class MyClass {
    public static void processString(string s)
    {
        if(!strings.Contains(s)) {
            // do something
        }
    }
}
```
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