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

/
/
gm

Test String

Code Generator

Language

Generated Code

$re = '/:\s"(?:.*)\s([a-zA-Z]+(?:[\'-][a-zA-Z]+)*)\s(?=[A-Z]{2,3})(?:.*)"/m'; $str = '[ {"name": "Hon Tony Abbott MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Anthony Albanese MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr John Alexander OAM, MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Dr Anne Aly MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Karen Andrews MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Kevin Andrews MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Adam Bandt MP", "party": "Australian Greens"}, {"name": "Ms Julia Banks MP", "party": "Independent"}, {"name": "Hon Sharon Bird MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Chris Bowen MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Russell Broadbent MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Scott Buchholz MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Tony Burke MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Linda Burney MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Mark Butler MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Terri Butler MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Anthony Byrne MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Dr Jim Chalmers MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Nick Champion MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Darren Chester MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Ms Lisa Chesters MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr George Christensen MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Hon Jason Clare MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Sharon Claydon MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon David Coleman MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Julie Collins MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Pat Conroy MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Mark Coulton MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Mr Chris Crewther MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Milton Dick MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Mark Dreyfus QC, MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Damian Drum MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Hon Peter Dutton MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Justine Elliot MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Warren Entsch MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Trevor Evans MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Jason Falinski MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Paul Fletcher MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Ms Nicolle Flint MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Dr Mike Freelander MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Josh Frydenberg MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Andrew Gee MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Mr Steve Georganas MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Andrew Giles MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Dr David Gillespie MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Mr Ian Goodenough MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Patrick Gorman MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Luke Gosling OAM, MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Ross Hart MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Andrew Hastie MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Alex Hawke MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Chris Hayes MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Sarah Henderson MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Julian Hill MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Kevin Hogan MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Mr Luke Howarth MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Greg Hunt MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Ed Husic MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Steve Irons MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Stephen Jones MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Barnaby Joyce MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Hon Bob Katter MP", "party": "Katter\'s Australian Party"}, {"name": "Ms Ged Kearney MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Justine Keay MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Michael Keenan MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Craig Kelly MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM, MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Matt Keogh MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Peter Khalil MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Catherine King MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Madeleine King MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Susan Lamb MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Andrew Laming MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Michelle Landry MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Mr Julian Leeser MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Sussan Ley MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon David Littleproud MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Mrs Nola Marino MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Richard Marles MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Emma McBride MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Michael McCormack MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Hon Dr John McVeigh MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Brian Mitchell MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Rob Mitchell MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Scott Morrison MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Ben Morton MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Shayne Neumann MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Llew O\'Brien MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Mr Ted O\'Brien MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Brendan O\'Connor MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Ken O\'Dowd MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Hon Kelly O\'Dwyer MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Ms Clare O\'Neil MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Cathy O\'Toole MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Julie Owens MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Tony Pasin MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Graham Perrett MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Dr Kerryn Phelps AM, MP", "party": "Independent"}, {"name": "Hon Keith Pitt MP", "party": "The Nationals"}, {"name": "Hon Tanya Plibersek MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Christian Porter MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Melissa Price MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Christopher Pyne MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Rowan Ramsey MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Amanda Rishworth MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Stuart Robert MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Ms Michelle Rowland MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Joanne Ryan MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Rebekha Sharkie MP", "party": "Centre Alliance"}, {"name": "Hon Bill Shorten MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Tony Smith MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Warren Snowdon MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Ms Anne Stanley MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Michael Sukkar MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Ms Meryl Swanson MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Angus Taylor MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Dan Tehan MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Ms Susan Templeman MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Hon Alan Tudge MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Bert van Manen MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Ross Vasta MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Andrew Wallace MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Tim Watts MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mrs Lucy Wicks MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Andrew Wilkie MP", "party": "Independent"}, {"name": "Mr Josh Wilson MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Rick Wilson MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Tim Wilson MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Jason Wood MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"}, {"name": "Mr Tony Zappia MP", "party": "Australian Labor Party"}, {"name": "Mr Trent Zimmerman MP", "party": "Liberal Party of Australia"} ]'; preg_match_all($re, $str, $matches, PREG_SET_ORDER, 0); // Print the entire match result var_dump($matches);

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 PHP, please visit: http://php.net/manual/en/ref.pcre.php