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

/
/
g

Test String

Code Generator

Language

Generated Code

$re = '/\s\-\s([A-Z0-9]{6}\s{2}\d{2}|[A-Z0-9]{6}\d{4})/'; $str = 'A V BROWNE ADVERTISING LTD ( 46 BEDFORD STREET BELFAST BT2 7GH GB) - 92305F 01 ACS ADVANCED CUSTOMER SERVICE ARG S (1139 AVDA. FONDO DE LA LEGUA 1111 VILLA ADELINA 1607 AR) - 15870Z0101 ACS ADVANCED CUSTOMER SERVICE ARG. (1139 AVDA. FONDO DE LA LEGUA 1111 VILLA ADELINA 1607 AR) - 15870Z 01 ACSIS ADVANCED CONTR SYSTEMS INDUS ( BOULOGNE BILLANCOURT 92100 FR) - 79268K 01 ADVAL ( ISSY LES MOULINEAUX 92130 FR) - 71751P 01 ADVANCE AUTOMOBILE PTE LTD ( 281 - ALEXANDRA ROAD SINGAPORE 159938 SG) - 61423N 01 ADVANCED CARE TECHNOLOGY INC ( 31 DUTCH MILL RD ITHACA 14850-9785 US) - 62199G 01 ADVANCED CARRIER PRODUCTS ( MILLERS ROAD WARWICK CV34 5AN GB) - 80252E 01 ADVANCED CARRIER PRODUCTS SARL ( Z D\'ACTIVITE DE L ETOILE RETHEL CEDEX 08300 FR) - 81835A 01 ADVANCED COMFORT SYSTEMS FRANCE (5-7 RUE DU MOULIN JACQUET BRESSUIRE CEDEX 79302 FR) - 13653P 01 ADVANCED COMFORT SYSTEMS IBERICA SL (7 11 CALLE DA CORUNA ORENSE 32911 ES) - 25000Y 01 ADVANCED CUSTOMER SERVICE FRANCE (31 CROIX DE BOIS BRAIN SUR L\'AUTHION 49800 FR) - 28935A 01 ADVANCED CUTTING TECHNOLOGY SA ( AVENIDA MESTRE MONTANER IGUALADA 08700 ES) - 08976F 02 ADVANCED CUTTING TECHNOLOGY SA ( CR. NACIONAL II, KM. 551,800 ODENA 08711 ES) - 08976F 01 ADVANCED ELASTOMER SYSTEMS ( COURBEVOIE 92400 FR) - 49134F 01 ADVANCED ELASTOMER SYSTEMS ( C/O TRASTON LANE NEWPORT NP 90XF GB) - 49134F 02 ADVANCED ELECTRONICS & LOGISTICS LT ( HIGH STREET TIPTON DY4 9HG GB) - A000AZ 01 ADVANCED FRANCE COMPOSANTS (32 RUE PLANCHAT PARIS 75020 FR) - 51015A 01 ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (1 GROUPE MANOUKIAN ELANCOURT 78990 FR) - A000A7 01 ADVANCED INFORMATION SYSTEMS ( NANCY CEDEX 54017 FR) - 60553T 02 ADVANCED INFORMATION SYSTEMS ( 15 RUE REMY DUMONCEL PARIS 75014 FR) - 60553T 01 ADVANCED LOGIC SYSTEM DESIGN (1BIS AVENUE FOCH ST MAUR DES FOSSES 94100 FR) - 76122R 01 ADVANCED MANUFACTURING INTELLIGENCE (25 EATON ROAD COVENTRY CV1 2FJ GB) - 93231M 01 ADVANCED MECHANICAL SYSTEM ( NANTES CEDEX 4 44185 FR) - 80801B 01 ADVANCED METROLOGY SYSTEMS LTD ( 13 POMEROY DR, OADBY INDSTL LEICESTER LE2 5NE GB) - 64224H 01 ADVANCED NEW TECHNOLOGY LTD ( PIPPINGFORD MANOR PIPPINGFOR UCKFIELD TN22 3HW GB) - 21050E 01 ADVANCED PHOTONICS TECHNOLOGIES UK ( BOSTON HOUSE OXON OX12 9FF GB) - 25032H 01 ADVANCED POWER TECHNOLOGY EUROPE ( PARC CLUB CADERA NORD B4 B MERIGNAC 33700 FR) - 48456U 01 ADVANCED PRODUCTS FRANCE ( MONTESSON 78360 FR) - 37675A 01 ADVANCED PRODUCTS NV (9 RUPELWEG BOOM 2850 BE) - 98815G 01 ADVANCED PROSER, S.L. ( PRINCEP, 44 RUBI 08191 ES) - 09027L 01 ADVANCED REALTIME TRACKING GMBH (6 AM OFERL WEILHEIM 82362 DE) - 29182U 01 ADVANCED TECHNICAL SERVICES LTD ( UNIT 14, MAPLE BUSINESS PK BIRMINGHAM B7 5ET GB) - 90993E 01 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY SERVICES FRANCE ( 2 RUE GALVANI MASSY CEDEX 91301 FR) - 22969R 03 ADVANCED TRANSLATION PROCESS PUBLIS ( NEUILLY SUR SEINE 92200 FR) - 36552E 01 ADVANCED VISUAL SYSTEMS ( ESPACE CLICHY CLICHY CEDEX 92587 FR) - 71044W 01 ADVANCED VISUAL SYSTEMS INC ( 300 5TH AVE WALTHAM 02451-8778 US) - 82650L 01 ADVANCEFIRST TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED ( SHEPPERTON MARINA SHEPPERTON TW17 8NS GB) - 99364D 01 ADVANCEMENT INTERNATIONAL LTD ( THE LIMES, 123 MORTLAKE HIGH LONDON SW14 8SN GB) - 90840N 01 ADVANCY CONSULTING TEAM (171 AVENUE CHARLES DE GAULLE NEUILLY SUR SEINE 92200 FR) - 97574H 01 ADVANTAGE CHEMICALS HOLDINGS LTD ( SPRING LANE SOUTH MALVERN WR14 1AT GB) - 91902T 01 ADVANTAGE CHEMICALS LTD ( MEREBROOK BUSINESS PARK MALVERN WR13 6NP GB) - 99233L 01 ADVANTAGE INTERNATIONAL ( 4611 HAWTHORNE LN NW WASHINGTON 20016-3437 US) - 54068U 01 ADVANTAGES ( NANTERRE 92000 FR) - 78827F 01 ADVANTEC, NEW TECHNOLOGY GMBH ( GUMMERSBACHER STR. 92 GUMMERSBACH 51643 DE) - 50911M 01 ADVANTECH EUROPE BV (71B RUE DES HAUTES PATURES NANTERRE 92000 FR) - A003DR 01 ADVANTECH FRANCE SA (71B RUE DES HAUTES PATURES NANTERRE 92000 FR) - 12001U 01 ADVATEC TRANSPORT LTD (28 PINBUSH RD LOWERSTOFT NR33 7NL GB) - 27570S 01 ADVENT (2 RUE JOBBE DUVAL PARIS 75015 FR) - A001MK 01 ADVENT (44 RUE DURANTON PARIS 15 75015 FR) - 97622K 01 ADVENTIA SAS ( NANTES 44000 FR) - 82851E 01 ADVEO (33 AVENUE DU MAINE PARIS 75015 FR) - 20398W 01 ADVEO ESPANA SA (28 AV. DE LOS ARTESANOS TRES CANTOS 28760 ES) - 09370J 01 ADVERLINE (5 RUE DE LA TERRASSE PARIS 75017 FR) - 21061S 01 ADVERTISING COM (25 RUE D\'ARTOIS PARIS 75008 FR) - 99182F 01 ADVERTISING COM INTERNATIONAL LTD ( 2ND FLOOR LONDON NW 8NQ GB) - 21456W 01 ADVERTISING.COM LTD ( 3RD FLOOR LONDON NW8 8PL GB) - 96915S 01 ADVISERS IN BUSINESS GROUP, S.A. ( PEDRO MUGURUZA, 6 MADRID 28036 ES) - 06306D 01 ADVISERS IN BUSINESS GROUP, S.A. ( PENA SANTA 57 MADRID 28034 ES) - 06306D 02 AFTABNET ADVERTISING AGENCY (23 AFRICA BLVD TEHERAN 15186 IR) - 27283E 01 ALIRT ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS (1881 YONGE STREET TORONTO M4S 3C6 CA) - 93373S 01 ALLIED ADVANCED TEC si�ge ( 306 LAGUNA S�O PAULO 04728-001 BR) - 15250A0101 ALLIED ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES LTDA ( 306 LAGUNA S�O PAULO 04728-001 BR) - 15250A 01 ALTAVIA (BEIJING) ADVERTISING CO LT (A6 GONGTI NORTH ROAD BEIJING 100027 CN) - A00389 01 BEIJING AO NING TENG WEI ADV CO LTD (28 GUANG QU ROAD BEIJING 100124 CN) - A002X0 01 BEIJING DDB NEEDHAM ADVERTISING CO. (27 DONGSANHUAN NORTH ROAD BEIJING 100020 CN) - A003CD 01 BEIJING PROVISION ADVERSTISING CO L (53A 3 GUANGQU ROAD BEIJING 100124 CN) - A002K2 01 BELDEN TOOLS INC (2500 BRAGA DRIVE BROADVIEW 60155 US) - 99839V 01 BOLESHI (BEIJING) INTERNATIONAL ADV ( JIANGUO ROAD, CHAOYANG DISTR Beijing 100022 CN) - A002CT 01 BRIGHTWAY VISION LTD ( ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTER HAIFA 31905 IL) - A0018L 01 BROADVISION (UK) LTD ( 100 LONGWATER AVENUE READING RG2 6GP GB) - 84075K 01 BROADVISION FRANCE SA (27 AVENUE DE L\'OPERA PARIS 75002 FR) - 82347G 01 CADVISION (2 RUE GALILEE GUYANCOURT 78280 FR) - 25028D 01 CCIP ADVANCIA ( JOUY EN JOSAS CEDEX 78351 FR) - 38930P 10 CCIP ADVANCIA ( ADVANCIA PARIS 75015 FR) - 38930P 11 CCIP ADVANCIA (7 R BALZAC PARIS 75008 FR) - 38930P 12 CLEERE ADVANTAGE LTD ( AMBASSADOR WAY DEREHAM NR20 3TG GB) - 91957C 01 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FACTORY, S.A. ( PZ. PABLO RUIZ PICASSO, S/N. MADRID 28020 ES) - 83387M 01 CONTACT ADVANTAGE LIMITED ( THE OLD MILL RENFREWSHIRE PA6 7AW GB) - 20527L 01 COORSTEK ADVANCED MATERIALS FRANCE ( RUE DE L\'INDUSTRIE EVREUX CEDEX 27025 FR) - 99186K 01 COORSTEK ADVANCED MATERIALS FRANCE (1 RUE DE L\'INDUSTRIE EVREUX CEDEX 27025 FR) - 99186K 02 COORSTEK ADVANCED MATERIALS TURNOV ( ZA VIADUKTEM 2150 TURNOV 511 01 CZ) - 21251Y 01 DIRECTORY ADVERTISING AGENCY (6 LLOYDS AVENUE HOUSE LONDON EC3N 3EH GB) - 91796C 01 ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD ( ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTER HAIFA 31053 IL) - A00168 01 ELECTROVAC ADVANCED COMPOSITES META ( RAMPENGASSE 5 WIEN 1190 AT) - 35728J 01 ERGO ADVANCED RESEARCH, SAU (474 C/ ALCAL� MADRID 28027 ES) - 09750X 01 FLIR SYSTEM ADVANC THERM SOLUTIONS (19 BOULEVARD BIDAULT CROISSY BEAUBOURG 77183 FR) - 30142M 01 FLIR SYSTEMS ADVANCED THERMAL SOLUT (19 BOULEVARD GEORGES BIDAULT CROISSY BEAUBOURG 77183 FR) - 75129L 01 FROES, LUNA AND ADVOGADOS (131 AVENUE RIO BRANCO RIO DE JANEIRO 20040-006 BR) - 24898M 01 GLOBAL MARKET BUSINESS ADVISERS SL ( GOBELAS, 21, 1� MADRID 28023 ES) - 24610Z 01 GROUPM (SHANGHAI) ADVERTISING CO LT ( 31/F THE CENTER 989 SHANGHAI 200031 CN) - A002Q4 01 HAVAS ADVERTISING HAVAS CCA INTER (2 ALLEE DE LONGCHAMP SURESNES 92150 FR) - 64964M0101 HISPANOMOCION SA ( ADVA DE LA PAZ, 8 Y 10 MADRID 28027 ES) - 06570R 13 HISPANOMOCION SA ( ADVA DE VELAZQUEZ, 83 MALAGA 28004 ES) - 06570R 15 HUNSTMAN ADVANCED MATERIALS (EUROPE (45 EVERSLAAN EVERBERG 3078 BE) - 22402Z 01 HUNTSMAN ADVANCED MATERIALS (200 KLYBECKSTRASSE BASEL 4002 CH) - 98601Z 01 HUNTSMAN ADVANCED MATERIALS (45 EVERSLAAN EVERBERG 3078 BE) - 96079H 01 HUNTSMAN ADVANCED MATERIALS FRANCE (107 AVENUE GEORGES CLEMENCEAU NANTERRE 92000 FR) - 81588G 01 INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING BUREAU ( RUE DE LA BOETIE-104 PARIS 75008 FR) - A002AY 01 JOHNSON CONTROLS - ADVANCED POWER S (3 RUE AMPERE NERSAC 16440 FR) - 24706D 01 JOHNSON CONTROLS ADVANCED POWER SOL (51 AM LEINEUFER HANNOVER 30419 DE) - 27948C 01 KTM ADVANCE (15 RUE JACQUES KABLE PARIS 75018 FR) - 53641E 01 KYB ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SYSTEM (15 CALLE B LOS ARCOS 31210 ES) - 29077E 02 KYB ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SYSTEM (6 ORORBIA OLTZA ZENDEA 31171 ES) - 29077E 01 MCCANN-ERICKSON ADVERTISING LTD ( CASTLEFIELD HOUSE MANCHESTER M3 4SB GB) - 91197B 01 MEDIA ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS LTD ( 5 WEST COURT MAIDSTONE ME15 6JD GB) - 91570G 01 MORGAN ADVANCED CERAMICS LTD ( BEWDLEY ROAD STOURPORT-ON-SEVERN DY13 8QR GB) - 40330L 01 MP ADVERTISING (159 AVENUE ACHILLE PERETTI NEUILLY SUR SEINE 92522 FR) - A00157 01 NASCIMENTO ADVOGADOS. ( RUA TABAPUA 627 SAO PAULO 04533-012 BR) - 62330Z 01 NEW ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY (28 AVENUE DE L EUROPE BUSSY SAINT GEORGES 77600 FR) - 22929X 01 NILFISK ADVANCE (12A RUE DES HERONS ENTZHEIM 67960 FR) - 74164M 02 NILFISK ADVANCE (26 AVENUE DE LA BALTIQUE COURTABOEUF CEDEX 91944 FR) - 74164M 01 NILFISK ADVANCE (26 AVENUE DE LA BALTIQUE COURTABOEUF CEDEX 91978 FR) - 69166E 01 OLMEC ADVANCED MATERIALS LTD (12 TERMINUS ROAD SHEFFIELD S7 2LH GB) - A000MV 01 PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL ADVISERS ( PARIS 75008 FR) - 83354B 01 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS ADVISORY (63 RUE DE VILLIERS NEUILLY SUR SEINE 92200 FR) - 83019M 01 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS ADVISORY SAS (63 RUE DE VILLIERS NEUILLY SUR SEINE 92208 FR) - A001KA 01 PUBLICADVISE SA ( PARIS 75006 FR) - 47676W 01 PUBLICIS ADVERTISING CO (NO.208 ANFU RD., XUHUI DIST SHANGHAI 242031 CN) - 98935M 01 PWC ADVISORY GIE (63 RUE DE VILLIERS NEUILLY SUR SEINE 92200 FR) - 61728V 01 REXEL FRANCE ( RUE BADVILBEL MOULINS 03000 FR) - 99209K 03 ROBERT BOSCH CORPOR ROBERT BOSCH (2800 S 25TH AVENUE BROADVIEW 60155-4594 US) - 94632K0301 ROBERT BOSCH CORPOR ROBERT BOSCH (2800 S 25TH AVENUE BROADVIEW 60155-4594 US) - 94632K0201 ROBERT BOSCH CORPOR ROBERT BOSCH CO (2800 S 25TH AVENUE BROADVIEW 60155-4594 US) - 94632K0101 ROBERT BOSCH LLC (2800 S 25TH AVENUE BROADVIEW 60155-4594 US) - 94632K 01 RTS ADVANCED ROBOTICS LTD ( DERWENT HO, CLARENCE AVE MANCHESTER M17 1QS GB) - 91501G 01 SHANGHAI AUTOSPEARHEAD & ADV CO LTD (42 YONGHE ROAD SHANGHAI 200072 CN) - A0045R 01 SHANGHAI MOER ADVERTISING CO LTD ( ROOM 1310 1313 SHANGHAI 200032 CN) - A002RN 01 SHANGHAI YUANSU ADVERTISING CO LTD ( No. 6, ALLEY 460, PIN-LU ROA SHANGHAI 200072 CN) - A002W4 01 SIGNES ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY ( SIGNES 83870 FR) - 81486W 01 SOLUTIONS IMPRIMEES ( RUE DE BADVILBEL MOULINS 03000 FR) - 60708L 01 TEAM ADVERTISING & MARKETING ( AL MOOSA TOWER DUBAI 14129 AE) - 58441X 01 THE SQUARE ADVERTISING AGENSY (17 CAVENDISH SQUARE LONDON W1G 0PH GB) - 92817M 01 TITAN OUTDOOR ADVERTISING LTD ( CHURCHILL HOUSE LIVERPOOL L2 2PJ GB) - 90458Y 01 VISTEON ARDENNES INDUSTRIES ( ADVANCED POWERTRAIN ENGINEE TEXTILE ROAD YPSILANTI 10300 US) - 58805T 09 WOLVERINE ADVANCED MATERIALS GMBH (20 VERRENBERGER WEG OHRINGEN 74613 DE) - 52040P 01 WORLDCOM ADVANCED NETWORKS ( 1 REDCLIFFE ST BRISTOL BS99 1YN GB) - 89942M 01 WORLDCOM ADVANCED NETWORKS ( CTRE ATRIA RUEIL 2000 RUEIL MALMAISON CEDEX 92566 FR) - 89942M 03 WORLDCOM ADVANCED NETWORKS ( EUROPEAN PAYMENT CENTRE BOURNEMOUTH BH7 7YQ GB) - 89942M 02 '; 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