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JavaScript
RegExp
Reference
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RegExp Object
A regular expression is an object that
describes a pattern of characters.

Regular expressions are used to

perform pattern-matching and
"search-and-replace" functions on
text.

Syntax
/pattern/modifiers;

Example

var patt = /w3schools/i

Try it Yourself »

Example explained:

/w3schools/i is a regular
expression.
w3schools is a pattern (to be
used in a search).
i is a modifier (modifies the
search to be case-insensitive).

For a tutorial about Regular

Expressions, read our JavaScript
RegExp Tutorial.

Modifiers
Modifiers are used to perform case-
insensitive and global searches:

Modifier Description

g Perform a global match

(find all matches
rather than stopping
after the first match)

i Perform case-
insensitive matching

m Perform multiline
matching

Brackets
Brackets are used to find a range of
characters:

Expression Description

[abc] Find any character

between the
brackets

[^abc] Find any character

NOT between the
brackets

[0-9] Find any character

between the
brackets (any digit)

[^0-9] Find any character

NOT between the
brackets (any non-
digit)

(x|y) Find any of the

alternatives
specified

Metacharacters
Metacharacters are characters with a
special meaning:

Metacharacter Description

. Find a single
character,
except newline
or line
terminator

\w Find a word
character

\W Find a non-word
character

\d Find a digit

\D Find a non-digit
character

\s Find a
whitespace
character

\S Find a non-
whitespace
character

\b Find a match at
the
beginning/end
of a word

\B Find a match
not at the
beginning/end
of a word

\0 Find a NUL
character

\n Find a new line

character

\f Find a form feed

character

\r Find a carriage
return character

\t Find a tab
character

\v Find a vertical
tab character

\xxx Find the

character
specified by an
octal number
xxx

\xdd Find the

character
specified by a
hexadecimal
number dd

\uxxxx Find the

Unicode
character
specified by a
hexadecimal
number xxxx

Quantifiers
Quantifier Description

n+ Matches any string

that contains at least
one n

n* Matches any string

that contains zero or
more occurrences of
n

n? Matches any string

that contains zero or
one occurrences of n

n{X} Matches any string

that contains a
sequence of X n's

n{X,Y} Matches any string

that contains a
sequence of X to Y
n's

n{X,} Matches any string

that contains a
sequence of at least
X n's

n$ Matches any string

with n at the end of
it

^n Matches any string

with n at the
beginning of it

?=n Matches any string

that is followed by a
specific string n

?!n Matches any string

that is not followed
by a specific string n

RegExp Object
Properties
Property Description

constructor Returns the function

that created the
RegExp object's
prototype

global Checks whether the

"g" modifier is set

ignoreCase Checks whether the

"i" modifier is set

lastIndex Specifies the index

at which to start the
next match

multiline Checks whether the

"m" modifier is set

source Returns the text of

the RegExp pattern

/ 0 MORE . 1
RegExp Object
Methods
Method Description

compile() Deprecated in version

1.5. Compiles a
regular expression

exec() Tests for a match in a

string. Returns the
first match

test() Tests for a match in a

string. Returns true or
false

toString() Returns the string

value of the regular
expression

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