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Regex Tester

Write a regular expression and watch the matches light up in your test text. See every capture group and preview replacements.

/

Test text

Matches

Capture groups

#MatchGroups
 

        

    



    


    

        

                            

                    
How to use the Regex Tester

                    
    
                                                    
  1. 
                                1
                                
    Type the pattern (without slashes) and pick the flags.
    
                            
    2. 
                                                    
  2. 
                                2
                                
    Paste the text to test; matches are highlighted as you type.
    
                            
    3. 
                                                    
  3. 
                                3
                                
    Check the capture groups, and fill in "Replace with" to preview a replacement ($1, $<name>).
    
                            
    4. 
                                            

                

            
                            

                    
Frequently asked questions

                    

                                                    

                                
                                    Which regex flavour is this?
                                    
                                
                                
JavaScript (ECMAScript). Most patterns work the same in PHP's preg_* functions; differences include lookbehind support in older engines and named-group syntax.

                            

                                                    

                                
                                    Why does it say the pattern took too long?
                                    
                                
                                
Some patterns, such as nested quantifiers like (a+)+, can take exponential time on certain input ("catastrophic backtracking"). The tester stops after a second so the page stays usable.

                            

                                            

                

            
                            

    
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