docs:programming:javascript:pattern_matching_with_regular_expressions [hartungdesign.net wiki]

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====== Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions ======

===== Defining =====
In JavaScript, regular expressions are accomplished by using RegExp objects.  You can either define a regular expression with the RegExp() constructor, or by using the more common // syntax:
<code>
var pattern = /s$/;
var pattern = new RegExp("s$");
</code>

===== Literal Characters =====
^Character  ^Matches  ^
|Alphanumeric character  |Itself  |
|\0  |The NUL character (\u0000)  |
|\t  |Tab (\u0009)  |
|\n  |Newline (\u000A)  |
|\v  |Vertical tab (\u000B)  |
|\f  |Form feed (\u000C)  |
|\r  |Carriage return (\u000D)  |
|\xnn  |The Latin character specified by the hexidecimal number nn; for example, \x0A is the same as \n  |
|\uxxxx  |The Unicode character specified by the hexidecimal number xxxx; for example, \u0009 is the same as \t  |
|\cX  |The control character ''^X''; for example, \cJ is equivalent to the newline character \n  |

===== Punctuation characters with special meaning =====
<code>
^ $ . * + ? = ! : | \ / ( ) [ ] { }
</code>

===== Character Classes =====
^Character  ^Matches  ^
|[...]  |Any one character between the brackets  |
|[''^''...]  |Any one character not between the brackets  |
|.  |Any character except newline or another Unicode line terminator  |
|\w  |Any ASCII word character; Equivalent to [a-zA-Z0-9_]  |
|\W  |Any character that is not an ASCII word character; Equivalent to [''^''a-zA-Z0-9_]  |
|\s  |Any Unicode whitespace character  |
|\S  |Any character that is not Unicode whitespace; Note that \w and \S are not the same thing  |
|\d  |Any ASCII digit; Equivalent to [0-9]  |
|\D  |Any character other than an ASCII digit; Equivalent to [''^''0-9]  |
|[\b]  |A literal backspace (special case)  |

===== Repetition =====
^Character  ^Meaning  ^
|{n,m}  |Match the previous item at least n times but no more than m times  |
|{n,}  |Match the previous item n or more times  |
|{n}  |Match exactly n occurences of the previous item  |
|?  |Match zero or one ocurrences of the previous item.  That is, the previous item is optional.  Equivalent to {0,1}.  |
|+  |Match one or more occurrences of the previous item.  Equivalent to {1,}  |
|*  |Match zero or more occurrences of the previous item.  Equivalent to {0,}  |

FIXME - enter more table references