regular expressions
Text search patterns
Regular expressions are patterns used to match sequences of characters in text.
They form a kind of search language, combining literal characters with special symbols to find, validate, or manipulate strings: The regex matched all email addresses in the document.
Often shortened to regex or regexp.
Learning regular expressions means mastering cryptic syntax—brackets, asterisks, question marks—that looks impenetrable until it clicks: Her regex replaced every phone number with XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Text pattern search utility
- PerlText-processing scripting language
- PythonLarge nonvenomous squeezer
- command lineText-based computer interface
- JavaScriptWeb programming language
Recurring arrangement or template
- quantifierWord expressing amount
- anchorSecures ships to seabed
- alternationSequential interchange of elements
- groupingArrangement by shared traits
lookahead · escape · literal · greedy · lazy · boundary · modifier · flag
Manipulating written digital content
- data extractionRetrieving information from sources
- web scrapingAutomated site data extraction
- search enginesInternet lookup tools
- spam filteringRemoving unwanted mass emails
Game between opponents
- searchAct of seeking
- replacePut something else there
- findLocate through effort
- extractConcentrated derived substance
parse · filter · validate · split · substitute · capture · test · compile
State of being complicated
- crypticObscure in meaning
- arcaneUnderstood by few
- esotericAccessible to few
- debuggingError removal from programs
readability · documentation · cheat sheet · tutorial · testing · trial and error · escaping · edge cases
grep
Text pattern search utility
- PerlText-processing scripting language
- PythonLarge nonvenomous squeezer
- command lineText-based computer interface
JavaScript · Ruby · Java · vim · PowerShell · lex · flex
pattern
Recurring arrangement or template
- quantifierWord expressing amount
- anchorSecures ships to seabed
- alternationSequential interchange of elements
grouping · lookahead · escape · literal · greedy · lazy · boundary · modifier · flag · wildcard
text processing
Manipulating written digital content
- data extractionRetrieving information from sources
- web scrapingAutomated site data extraction
- search enginesInternet lookup tools
match
Game between opponents
extract · parse · filter · validate · split · substitute · capture · test · compile · tokenize
complexity
State of being complicated
debugging · readability · documentation · cheat sheet · tutorial · testing · trial and error · escaping · edge cases · backtracking
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