class StringUtils {

  public static String ltrim(final String str) {
    if (str == null) {
      return EMPTY_STRING;
    }

    if (!hasLength(str)) {
      return str;
    }

    final char[] chs = str.toCharArray();
    for (int i = 0, n = chs.length; i < n; ++i) {
      if (!Character.isWhitespace(chs[i])) {
        return new String(chs, i, str.length() - i);
      }
    }
    return EMPTY_STRING;
  }

}