diff --git a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/FlatLaf.java b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/FlatLaf.java
index 4304dc94..86b2482a 100644
--- a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/FlatLaf.java
+++ b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/FlatLaf.java
@@ -241,10 +241,6 @@ public abstract class FlatLaf
 		defaults.put( "MenuItem.acceleratorFont", uiFont );
 	}
 
-	public static List<String> split( String str, char delim ) {
-		return UIDefaultsLoader.split( str, delim );
-	}
-
 	private static void reSetLookAndFeel() {
 		EventQueue.invokeLater( () -> {
 			try {
diff --git a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/IntelliJTheme.java b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/IntelliJTheme.java
index 068fa268..b7236c4f 100644
--- a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/IntelliJTheme.java
+++ b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/IntelliJTheme.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import javax.swing.UIDefaults;
 import javax.swing.plaf.ColorUIResource;
 import com.formdev.flatlaf.json.Json;
 import com.formdev.flatlaf.json.ParseException;
+import com.formdev.flatlaf.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
  * @author Karl Tauber
@@ -183,15 +184,14 @@ public class IntelliJTheme
 
 		boolean checkboxModified = false;
 		@SuppressWarnings( "unchecked" )
-		Map<String, Object> map = (Map<String, Object>) palette;
-		for( Map.Entry<String, Object> e : map.entrySet() ) {
+		Map<String, Object> colorPalette = (Map<String, Object>) palette;
+		for( Map.Entry<String, Object> e : colorPalette.entrySet() ) {
 			String key = e.getKey();
 			Object value = e.getValue();
 			if( !key.startsWith( "Checkbox." ) || !(value instanceof String) )
 				continue;
 
-			if( key.endsWith( ".Dark" ) )
-				key = key.substring( 0, key.length() - 5 );
+			key = StringUtils.removeTrailing( key, ".Dark" );
 
 			String newKey = checkboxKeyMapping.get( key );
 			if( newKey != null ) {
diff --git a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/LinuxFontPolicy.java b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/LinuxFontPolicy.java
index 15d3544c..d31c82ed 100644
--- a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/LinuxFontPolicy.java
+++ b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/LinuxFontPolicy.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.StringTokenizer;
 import javax.swing.text.StyleContext;
+import com.formdev.flatlaf.util.StringUtils;
 import com.formdev.flatlaf.util.SystemInfo;
 
 /**
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ class LinuxFontPolicy
 		int size = 10;
 
 		if( generalFont != null ) {
-			List<String> strs = FlatLaf.split( generalFont, ',' );
+			List<String> strs = StringUtils.split( generalFont, ',' );
 			try {
 				family = strs.get( 0 );
 				size = Integer.parseInt( strs.get( 1 ) );
diff --git a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/UIDefaultsLoader.java b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/UIDefaultsLoader.java
index 53254d96..6c8b0f42 100644
--- a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/UIDefaultsLoader.java
+++ b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/UIDefaultsLoader.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import com.formdev.flatlaf.ui.FlatLineBorder;
 import com.formdev.flatlaf.util.ColorFunctions;
 import com.formdev.flatlaf.util.DerivedColor;
 import com.formdev.flatlaf.util.ScaledNumber;
+import com.formdev.flatlaf.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
  * Load UI defaults from properties files associated to Flat LaF classes and add to UI defaults.
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@ class UIDefaultsLoader
 	private static Object parseBorder( String value, Function<String, String> resolver ) {
 		if( value.indexOf( ',' ) >= 0 ) {
 			// top,left,bottom,right[,lineColor]
-			List<String> parts = split( value, ',' );
+			List<String> parts = StringUtils.split( value, ',' );
 			Insets insets = parseInsets( value );
 			ColorUIResource lineColor = (parts.size() == 5)
 				? parseColorOrFunction( resolver.apply( parts.get( 4 ) ), true )
@@ -282,7 +283,7 @@ class UIDefaultsLoader
 	}
 
 	private static Insets parseInsets( String value ) {
-		List<String> numbers = split( value, ',' );
+		List<String> numbers = StringUtils.split( value, ',' );
 		try {
 			return new InsetsUIResource(
 				Integer.parseInt( numbers.get( 0 ) ),
@@ -295,7 +296,7 @@ class UIDefaultsLoader
 	}
 
 	private static Dimension parseSize( String value ) {
-		List<String> numbers = split( value, ',' );
+		List<String> numbers = StringUtils.split( value, ',' );
 		try {
 			return new DimensionUIResource(
 				Integer.parseInt( numbers.get( 0 ) ),
@@ -317,8 +318,7 @@ class UIDefaultsLoader
 	}
 
 	private static ColorUIResource parseColor( String value, boolean reportError ) {
-		if( value.startsWith( "#" ) )
-			value = value.substring( 1 );
+		value = StringUtils.removeLeading( value, "#" );
 
 		int valueLength = value.length();
 		if( valueLength != 6 && valueLength != 8 )
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ class UIDefaultsLoader
 		}
 
 		String function = value.substring( 0, paramsStart ).trim();
-		List<String> params = split( value.substring( paramsStart + 1, value.length() - 1 ), ',' );
+		List<String> params = StringUtils.split( value.substring( paramsStart + 1, value.length() - 1 ), ',' );
 		if( params.isEmpty() )
 			throw new IllegalArgumentException( "missing parameters in function '" + value + "'" );
 
@@ -417,18 +417,4 @@ class UIDefaultsLoader
 			throw new NumberFormatException( "invalid integer '" + value + "'" );
 		}
 	}
-
-	static List<String> split( String str, char delim ) {
-		ArrayList<String> strs = new ArrayList<>();
-		int delimIndex = str.indexOf( delim );
-		int index = 0;
-		while( delimIndex >= 0 ) {
-			strs.add( str.substring( index, delimIndex ) );
-			index = delimIndex + 1;
-			delimIndex = str.indexOf( delim, index );
-		}
-		strs.add( str.substring( index ) );
-
-		return strs;
-	}
 }
diff --git a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatToolTipUI.java b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatToolTipUI.java
index 42a60609..ad3b501e 100644
--- a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatToolTipUI.java
+++ b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/ui/FlatToolTipUI.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import javax.swing.JToolTip;
 import javax.swing.SwingUtilities;
 import javax.swing.plaf.ComponentUI;
 import javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicToolTipUI;
-import com.formdev.flatlaf.FlatLaf;
+import com.formdev.flatlaf.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
  * Provides the Flat LaF UI delegate for {@link javax.swing.JToolTip}.
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public class FlatToolTipUI
 			FontMetrics fm = c.getFontMetrics( c.getFont() );
 			Insets insets = c.getInsets();
 
-			List<String> lines = FlatLaf.split( ((JToolTip)c).getTipText(), '\n' );
+			List<String> lines = StringUtils.split( ((JToolTip)c).getTipText(), '\n' );
 			int width = 0;
 			int height = fm.getHeight() * Math.max( lines.size(), 1 );
 			for( String line : lines )
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public class FlatToolTipUI
 			FlatUIUtils.setRenderingHints( (Graphics2D) g );
 			g.setColor( c.getForeground() );
 
-			List<String> lines = FlatLaf.split( ((JToolTip)c).getTipText(), '\n' );
+			List<String> lines = StringUtils.split( ((JToolTip)c).getTipText(), '\n' );
 
 			int x = insets.left;
 			int x2 = c.getWidth() - insets.right;
diff --git a/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/util/StringUtils.java b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/util/StringUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d886c119
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flatlaf-core/src/main/java/com/formdev/flatlaf/util/StringUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2019 FormDev Software GmbH
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.formdev.flatlaf.util;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * Utility methods for strings.
+ *
+ * @author Karl Tauber
+ */
+public class StringUtils
+{
+	public static String removeLeading( String string, String leading ) {
+		return string.startsWith( leading )
+			? string.substring( leading.length() )
+			: string;
+	}
+
+	public static String removeTrailing( String string, String trailing ) {
+		return string.endsWith( trailing )
+			? string.substring( 0, string.length() - trailing.length() )
+			: string;
+	}
+
+	public static List<String> split( String str, char delim ) {
+		ArrayList<String> strs = new ArrayList<>();
+		int delimIndex = str.indexOf( delim );
+		int index = 0;
+		while( delimIndex >= 0 ) {
+			strs.add( str.substring( index, delimIndex ) );
+			index = delimIndex + 1;
+			delimIndex = str.indexOf( delim, index );
+		}
+		strs.add( str.substring( index ) );
+
+		return strs;
+	}
+}