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

Generated Code

import java.util.regex.Matcher; import java.util.regex.Pattern; public class Example { public static void main(String[] args) { final String regex = "^(.*?)[^\\S\\n]*;[^\\S\\n](.*?)[^\\S\\n]*;[^\\S\\n](.*?)(?:[^\\S\\n]+)#[^\\S\\n]*(E[\\w.]*)[^\\S\\n]*(?:\\[\\w\\])[^\\S\\n]*\\((.*)\\)$"; final String string = "1F468 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: red hair # E11.0 [1] (👹‍🩰)\n" + "1F468 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F468 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: bald # E11.0 [1] (👹‍đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F468 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: white hair # E11.0 [1] (👹‍🩳)\n" + "1F468 1F3FB 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: light skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸ»â€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F468 1F3FB 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: light skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸ»â€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F468 1F3FB 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: light skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸ»â€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F468 1F3FB 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: light skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸ»â€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F468 1F3FC 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-light skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŒâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F468 1F3FC 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-light skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŒâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F468 1F3FC 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-light skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŒâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F468 1F3FC 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-light skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŒâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F468 1F3FD 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸœâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F468 1F3FD 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸœâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F468 1F3FD 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸœâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F468 1F3FD 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸœâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F468 1F3FE 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-dark skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŸâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F468 1F3FE 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-dark skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŸâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F468 1F3FE 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-dark skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŸâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F468 1F3FE 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: medium-dark skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸŸâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F468 1F3FF 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: dark skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (👹🏿‍🩰)\n" + "1F468 1F3FF 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: dark skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘šđŸżâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F468 1F3FF 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: dark skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (👹🏿‍đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F468 1F3FF 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; man: dark skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (👹🏿‍🩳)\n" + "1F469 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©â€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F469 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©â€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F469 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©â€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F469 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©â€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F469 1F3FB 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: light skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F469 1F3FB 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: light skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F469 1F3FB 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: light skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F469 1F3FB 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: light skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F469 1F3FC 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-light skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŒâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F469 1F3FC 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-light skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŒâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F469 1F3FC 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-light skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŒâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F469 1F3FC 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-light skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŒâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F469 1F3FD 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸœâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F469 1F3FD 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸœâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F469 1F3FD 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸœâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F469 1F3FD 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸœâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F469 1F3FE 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-dark skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŸâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F469 1F3FE 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-dark skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŸâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F469 1F3FE 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-dark skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŸâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F469 1F3FE 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: medium-dark skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸŸâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F469 1F3FF 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: dark skin tone, red hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸżâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F469 1F3FF 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: dark skin tone, curly hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸżâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F469 1F3FF 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: dark skin tone, bald # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸżâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F469 1F3FF 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; woman: dark skin tone, white hair # E11.0 [1] (đŸ‘©đŸżâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F9D1 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: red hair # E12.1 [1] (🧑‍🩰)\n" + "1F9D1 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘â€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F9D1 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: bald # E12.1 [1] (🧑‍đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F9D1 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: white hair # E12.1 [1] (🧑‍🩳)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FB 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: light skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸ»â€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FB 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: light skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸ»â€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FB 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: light skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸ»â€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FB 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: light skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸ»â€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FC 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-light skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŒâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FC 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-light skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŒâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FC 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-light skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŒâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FC 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-light skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŒâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FD 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸœâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FD 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸœâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FD 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸœâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FD 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸœâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FE 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-dark skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŸâ€đŸŠ°)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FE 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-dark skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŸâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FE 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-dark skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŸâ€đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FE 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: medium-dark skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸŸâ€đŸŠł)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FF 200D 1F9B0 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: dark skin tone, red hair # E12.1 [1] (🧑🏿‍🩰)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FF 200D 1F9B1 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: dark skin tone, curly hair # E12.1 [1] (đŸ§‘đŸżâ€đŸŠ±)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FF 200D 1F9B2 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: dark skin tone, bald # E12.1 [1] (🧑🏿‍đŸŠČ)\n" + "1F9D1 1F3FF 200D 1F9B3 ; RGI_Emoji_ZWJ_Sequence ; person: dark skin tone, white hair # E12.1 [1] (🧑🏿‍🩳)"; final Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile(regex, Pattern.MULTILINE); final Matcher matcher = pattern.matcher(string); while (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