regex101: PCRE (Legacy) Match Workspace

Definition Group(?(DEFINE) (?<string>'[^']++') (?<int>\b\d+\b) (?<sp>\s*) (?<key>\b\w+\b) (?<value>(?&string)|(?&int)) (?<exp>(?&key) (?&sp) = (?&sp) (?&value)) (?<logic>\b (?:and|or) \b) (?<main> (?<token> $ (?&sp) (?&main) (?&sp) $ | (?&exp) ) (?: (?&sp) (?&logic) (?&sp) (?&token) )* ) )

Group string(?<string>'[^']++')

'the literal ' (39₁₀ / 47₈ / 27₁₆)

Negated Character Class[^']++

++matches at least one character outside the set below:

'the literal ' (39₁₀ / 47₈ / 27₁₆)

Group int(?<int>\b\d+\b)

\ban ASCII word boundary

\d+a digit, repeated at least once

\ban ASCII word boundary

Group sp(?<sp>\s*)

\s*any whitespace character, repeated any number of times

Group key(?<key>\b\w+\b)

\ban ASCII word boundary

\w+any word character, repeated at least once

\ban ASCII word boundary

Group value(?<value>(?&string)|(?&int))

1st Alternative(?&string)

(?&string)calls group string as a subroutine

2nd Alternative(?&int)

(?&int)calls group int as a subroutine

Group exp(?<exp>(?&key) (?&sp) = (?&sp) (?&value))

(?&key)calls group key as a subroutine

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

= the literal text =

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

(?&value)calls group value as a subroutine

Group logic(?<logic>\b (?:and|or) \b)

\ban ASCII word boundary

Non-Capturing Group(?:and|or)

1st Alternativeand

andthe literal text and (case sensitive)

2nd Alternativeor

orthe literal text or (case sensitive)

\ban ASCII word boundary

Group main(?<main> (?<token> $ (?&sp) (?&main) (?&sp) $ | (?&exp) ) (?: (?&sp) (?&logic) (?&sp) (?&token) )* )

Group token(?<token> $ (?&sp) (?&main) (?&sp) $ | (?&exp) )

1st Alternative $ (?&sp) (?&main) (?&sp) $

\(the literal ( (40₁₀ / 50₈ / 28₁₆)

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

(?&main)calls group main as a subroutine

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

\)the literal ) (41₁₀ / 51₈ / 29₁₆)

2nd Alternative (?&exp)

(?&exp)calls group exp as a subroutine

Non-Capturing Group(?: (?&sp) (?&logic) (?&sp) (?&token) )*

*repeats the group contents below any number of times:

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

(?&logic)calls group logic as a subroutine

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

(?&token)calls group token as a subroutine

Non-Capturing Group(?: ^ (?&sp) (?= (?&main) (?&sp) $ ) | (?!^) \G (?&sp) (?&logic) (?&sp) )

1st Alternative ^ (?&sp) (?= (?&main) (?&sp) $ )

^start of string

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

Positive Lookahead(?= (?&main) (?&sp) $ )

(?&main)calls group main as a subroutine

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

$end of string, or before its final line terminator

2nd Alternative (?!^) \G (?&sp) (?&logic) (?&sp)

Negative Lookahead(?!^)

^start of string

\Gstart of current search

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

(?&logic)calls group logic as a subroutine

(?&sp)calls group sp as a subroutine

Non-Capturing Group(?: $ (?&sp) (?<m_main>(?&main)) (?&sp) $ | (?<m_key>(?&key)) (?&sp) = (?&sp) (?<m_value>(?&value)) )

1st Alternative $ (?&sp) (?<m_main>(?&main)) (?&sp) $

2nd Alternative (?<m_key>(?&key)) (?&sp) = (?&sp) (?<m_value>(?&value))

Global pattern flags

x modifier: extended. Ignores unescaped whitespace and comments outside character classes

g modifier: global. Finds all matches instead of stopping after the first

Search reference

Regular Expression

(?(DEFINE)
  (?<string>'[^']++')
  (?<int>\b\d+\b)
  (?<sp>\s*)
  (?<key>\b\w+\b)
  (?<value>(?&string)|(?&int))
  (?<exp>(?&key) (?&sp) = (?&sp) (?&value))
  (?<logic>\b (?:and|or) \b)
  (?<main>
    (?<token> \( (?&sp) (?&main) (?&sp) \) | (?&exp) )
    (?:
      (?&sp) (?&logic) (?&sp)
      (?&token) 
    )*
  )
)
(?:
  ^ (?&sp) (?= (?&main) (?&sp) $ )
  |
  (?!^) \G
  (?&sp) (?&logic) (?&sp)
)
(?:
  \( (?&sp) (?<m_main>(?&main)) (?&sp) \)
  |
  (?<m_key>(?&key)) (?&sp) = (?&sp) (?<m_value>(?&value))
)

New

name = 'benjo' and (surname = 'benny' or surname = 'bennie') or age = 4
or 
name = 'benjo' and (surname = 'benny' or surname = 'bennie') or (age = 4 or age = 6)
and
(name = 'benjo' or name='xxx') and (surname = 'benny' or surname = 'bennie') or age = 4

Regular Expressions 101

Regular Expression

Substitution