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

/
/
ms

Test String

Code Generator

Generated Code

import java.util.regex.Matcher; import java.util.regex.Pattern; public class Example { public static void main(String[] args) { final String regex = "(.*?)\"(\\w+)\"\\s+\"([\\w| .\\/\\\\%]+)\""; final String string = "\n" + " // General\n" + " //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n" + " \"BaseClass\" \"ability_datadriven\"\n" + " \"AbilityType\" \"DOTA_ABILITY_TYPE_BASIC\"\n" + " \"AbilityBehavior\" \"DOTA_ABILITY_BEHAVIOR_UNIT_TARGET\"\n" + " \"AbilityUnitTargetTeam\" \"DOTA_UNIT_TARGET_TEAM_ENEMY\"\n" + " \"AbilityUnitTargetType\" \"DOTA_UNIT_TARGET_HERO | DOTA_UNIT_TARGET_BASIC\"\n" + " \"AbilityUnitDamageType\" \"DAMAGE_TYPE_MAGICAL\"\n" + " \"SpellImmunityType\" \"SPELL_IMMUNITY_ENEMIES_NO\"\n" + " \"FightRecapLevel\" \"1\"\n" + " \"AbilityTextureName\" \"rooting_shoot\"\n\n" + " // Casting\n" + " //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n" + " \"AbilityCastRange\" \"500\"\n" + " \"AbilityCastPoint\" \"0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3\"\n" + " \n" + " // Time \n" + " //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n" + " \"AbilityCooldown\" \"9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0\"\n\n" + " // Cost\n" + " //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n" + " \"AbilityManaCost\" \"115 125 140 150\"\n\n" + " // Stats\n" + " //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n" + " \"AbilityModifierSupportValue\" \"0.5\" // Applies multiple modifiers\n" + " \n" + " // Special\n" + " //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n" + " \"AbilitySpecial\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"01\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_INTEGER\"\n" + " \"damage_per_second_tooltip\" \"50\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"02\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_FLOAT\"\n" + " \"duration_tooltip\" \"1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"03\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_INTEGER\"\n" + " \"hero_damage_tooltip\" \"150 200 250 300\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"04\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_FLOAT\"\n" + " \"creep_duration_tooltip\" \"10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"05\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_INTEGER\"\n" + " \"creep_damage_tooltip\" \"1000\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"06\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_FLOAT\"\n" + " \"damage\" \"100\"\n" + " }\n" + " // Extra variable\n" + " \"07\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_FLOAT\"\n" + " \"stun_duration\" \"0.1\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"08\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_FLOAT\"\n" + " \"damage_interval\" \"0.5\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"09\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_INTEGER\"\n" + " \"damage_per_second\" \"25\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"10\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_FLOAT\"\n" + " \"duration\" \"1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"11\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"var_type\" \"FIELD_FLOAT\"\n" + " \"creep_duration\" \"9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5\"\n" + " }\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " // Data driven\n" + " //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n" + " \"precache\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"soundfile\" \"soundevents/game_sounds_heroes/game_sounds_crystalmaiden.vsndevts\"\n" + " \"particle\" \"particles/leave_bite/leave_bite_06.vpcf\"\n" + " \"particle\" \"particles/leave_bite/leave_bite_01.vpcf\"\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"OnSpellStart\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"TrackingProjectile\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"EffectName\" \"particles/leave_bite/leave_bite_01.vpcf\"\n" + " \"MoveSpeed\" \"2000\"\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"Stun\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"Duration\" \"%stun_duration\"\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"ApplyModifier\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Center\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"Types\" \"DOTA_UNIT_TARGET_HERO\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"ModifierName\" \"modifier_frost_bite_root_datadriven\"\n" + " \"Duration\" \"%duration\"\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"ApplyModifier\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Center\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"Types\" \"DOTA_UNIT_TARGET_HERO\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"ModifierName\" \"modifier_frost_bite_damage_datadriven\"\n" + " \"Duration\" \"%duration\"\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"ApplyModifier\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Center\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"Types\" \"DOTA_UNIT_TARGET_BASIC\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"ModifierName\" \"modifier_frost_bite_root_datadriven\"\n" + " \"Duration\" \"%creep_duration\"\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"ApplyModifier\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Center\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"Types\" \"DOTA_UNIT_TARGET_BASIC\"\n" + " }\n" + " \"ModifierName\" \"modifier_frost_bite_damage_datadriven\"\n" + " \"Duration\" \"%creep_duration\"\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"FireSound\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"EffectName\" \"hero_Crystal.frostbite\"\n" + " }\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"Modifiers\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"modifier_frost_bite_root_datadriven\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"IsPurgable\" \"1\"\n" + " \n" + " \"EffectName\" \"particles/leave_bite/leave_bite_06.vpcf\"\n" + " \n" + " \"States\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"MODIFIER_STATE_ROOTED\" \"MODIFIER_STATE_VALUE_ENABLED\"\n" + " \"MODIFIER_STATE_INVISIBLE\" \"MODIFIER_STATE_VALUE_DISABLED\"\n" + " }\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"modifier_frost_bite_damage_datadriven\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"IsPurgable\" \"1\"\n" + " \"IsHidden\" \"1\"\n" + " \n" + " \"OnCreated\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Damage\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"Damage\" \"%damage_per_second\"\n" + " \"Type\" \"DAMAGE_TYPE_MAGICAL\"\n" + " }\n" + " }\n" + " \n" + " \"ThinkInterval\" \"%damage_interval\"\n" + " \"OnIntervalThink\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Damage\"\n" + " {\n" + " \"Target\" \"TARGET\"\n" + " \"Damage\" \"%damage_per_second\"\n" + " \"Type\" \"DAMAGE_TYPE_MAGICAL\"\n" + " }\n" + " }\n" + " }\n" + " }"; final Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile(regex, Pattern.MULTILINE | Pattern.DOTALL); final Matcher matcher = pattern.matcher(string); if (matcher.find()) { System.out.println("Full match: " + matcher.group(0)); for (int i = 1; i <= matcher.groupCount(); i++) { System.out.println("Group " + i + ": " + matcher.group(i)); } } } }

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 Java, please visit: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/regex/Pattern.html