Regular Expressions 101

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An explanation of your regex will be automatically generated as you type.
Detailed match information will be displayed here automatically.
  • All Tokens
  • Common Tokens
  • General Tokens
  • Anchors
  • Meta Sequences
  • Quantifiers
  • Group Constructs
  • Character Classes
  • Flags/Modifiers
  • Substitution
  • A single character of: a, b or c
    [abc]
  • A character except: a, b or c
    [^abc]
  • A character in the range: a-z
    [a-z]
  • A character not in the range: a-z
    [^a-z]
  • A character in the range: a-z or A-Z
    [a-zA-Z]
  • Any single character
    .
  • Alternate - match either a or b
    a|b
  • Any whitespace character
    \s
  • Any non-whitespace character
    \S
  • Any digit
    \d
  • Any non-digit
    \D
  • Any word character
    \w
  • Any non-word character
    \W
  • Non-capturing group
    (?:...)
  • Capturing group
    (...)
  • Zero or one of a
    a?
  • Zero or more of a
    a*
  • One or more of a
    a+
  • Exactly 3 of a
    a{3}
  • 3 or more of a
    a{3,}
  • Between 3 and 6 of a
    a{3,6}
  • Start of string
    ^
  • End of string
    $
  • A word boundary
    \b
  • Non-word boundary
    \B

Regular Expression
No Match

r"
"
mg

Test String

Code Generator

Language

Generated Code

use strict; my $str = '1F468 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: red hair # E11.0 [1] (👹‍🩰) 1F468 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šâ€đŸŠ±) 1F468 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: bald # E11.0 [1] (👹‍đŸŠČ) 1F468 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: white hair # E11.0 [1] (👹‍🩳) 1F468 1F3FB 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: light skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸ»â€đŸŠ°) 1F468 1F3FB 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: light skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸ»â€đŸŠ±) 1F468 1F3FB 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: light skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸ»â€đŸŠČ) 1F468 1F3FB 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: light skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸ»â€đŸŠł) 1F468 1F3FC 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-light skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŒâ€đŸŠ°) 1F468 1F3FC 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-light skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŒâ€đŸŠ±) 1F468 1F3FC 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-light skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŒâ€đŸŠČ) 1F468 1F3FC 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-light skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŒâ€đŸŠł) 1F468 1F3FD 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸœâ€đŸŠ°) 1F468 1F3FD 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸœâ€đŸŠ±) 1F468 1F3FD 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸœâ€đŸŠČ) 1F468 1F3FD 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸœâ€đŸŠł) 1F468 1F3FE 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-dark skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŸâ€đŸŠ°) 1F468 1F3FE 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-dark skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŸâ€đŸŠ±) 1F468 1F3FE 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-dark skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŸâ€đŸŠČ) 1F468 1F3FE 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-dark skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŸâ€đŸŠł) 1F468 1F3FF 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: dark skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (👹🏿‍🩰) 1F468 1F3FF 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: dark skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸżâ€đŸŠ±) 1F468 1F3FF 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: dark skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (👹🏿‍đŸŠČ) 1F468 1F3FF 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: dark skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (👹🏿‍🩳) 1F469 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©â€đŸŠ°) 1F469 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©â€đŸŠ±) 1F469 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©â€đŸŠČ) 1F469 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©â€đŸŠł) 1F469 1F3FB 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: light skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸŠ°) 1F469 1F3FB 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: light skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸŠ±) 1F469 1F3FB 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: light skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸŠČ) 1F469 1F3FB 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: light skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸŠł) 1F469 1F3FC 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-light skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŒâ€đŸŠ°) 1F469 1F3FC 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-light skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŒâ€đŸŠ±) 1F469 1F3FC 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-light skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŒâ€đŸŠČ) 1F469 1F3FC 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-light skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŒâ€đŸŠł) 1F469 1F3FD 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸœâ€đŸŠ°) 1F469 1F3FD 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸœâ€đŸŠ±) 1F469 1F3FD 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸœâ€đŸŠČ) 1F469 1F3FD 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸœâ€đŸŠł) 1F469 1F3FE 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-dark skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŸâ€đŸŠ°) 1F469 1F3FE 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-dark skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŸâ€đŸŠ±) 1F469 1F3FE 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-dark skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŸâ€đŸŠČ) 1F469 1F3FE 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-dark skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŸâ€đŸŠł) 1F469 1F3FF 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: dark skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸżâ€đŸŠ°) 1F469 1F3FF 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: dark skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸżâ€đŸŠ±) 1F469 1F3FF 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: dark skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸżâ€đŸŠČ) 1F469 1F3FF 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: dark skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸżâ€đŸŠł) 1F9D1 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: red hair # E12.1 [1] (🧑‍🩰) 1F9D1 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘â€đŸŠ±) 1F9D1 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: bald # E12.1 [1] (🧑‍đŸŠČ) 1F9D1 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: white hair # E12.1 [1] (🧑‍🩳) 1F9D1 1F3FB 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: light skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸ»â€đŸŠ°) 1F9D1 1F3FB 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: light skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸ»â€đŸŠ±) 1F9D1 1F3FB 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: light skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸ»â€đŸŠČ) 1F9D1 1F3FB 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: light skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸ»â€đŸŠł) 1F9D1 1F3FC 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-light skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŒâ€đŸŠ°) 1F9D1 1F3FC 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-light skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŒâ€đŸŠ±) 1F9D1 1F3FC 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-light skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŒâ€đŸŠČ) 1F9D1 1F3FC 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-light skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŒâ€đŸŠł) 1F9D1 1F3FD 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸœâ€đŸŠ°) 1F9D1 1F3FD 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸœâ€đŸŠ±) 1F9D1 1F3FD 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸœâ€đŸŠČ) 1F9D1 1F3FD 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸœâ€đŸŠł) 1F9D1 1F3FE 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-dark skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŸâ€đŸŠ°) 1F9D1 1F3FE 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-dark skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŸâ€đŸŠ±) 1F9D1 1F3FE 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-dark skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŸâ€đŸŠČ) 1F9D1 1F3FE 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-dark skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŸâ€đŸŠł) 1F9D1 1F3FF 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: dark skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (🧑🏿‍🩰) 1F9D1 1F3FF 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: dark skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸżâ€đŸŠ±) 1F9D1 1F3FF 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: dark skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (🧑🏿‍đŸŠČ) 1F9D1 1F3FF 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: dark skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (🧑🏿‍🩳)'; my $regex = qr/^(.*?)[^\S\n]*;[^\S\n](.*?)[^\S\n]*;[^\S\n](.*?)(?:[^\S\n]+)#[^\S\n]*(E[\w.]*)[^\S\n]*(?:\[\w\])[^\S\n]*\((.*)\)$/mp; if ( $str =~ /$regex/g ) { print "Whole match is ${^MATCH} and its start/end positions can be obtained via \$-[0] and \$+[0]\n"; # print "Capture Group 1 is $1 and its start/end positions can be obtained via \$-[1] and \$+[1]\n"; # print "Capture Group 2 is $2 ... and so on\n"; } # ${^POSTMATCH} and ${^PREMATCH} are also available with the use of '/p' # Named capture groups can be called via $+{name}

Please keep in mind that these code samples are automatically generated and are not guaranteed to work. If you find any syntax errors, feel free to submit a bug report. For a full regex reference for Perl, please visit: http://perldoc.perl.org/perlre.html