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In previous tutorials in this series, you've seen several different ways to compare string values with direct character-by-character comparison. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to perform more complex string pattern matching using regular expressions, or regexes, in Python.
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Regular expressions is a kind of programming language which is used to identify whether a pattern exists in a given sequence of characters (string) or not.
Regular expression or Regex is a sequence of characters that is used to check if a string contains the specified search pattern.
RegEx Module
- This cheat sheet is based on Python 3’s documentation on regular expressions. If you're interested in learning Python, we have a free Python Programming: Beginner course for you to try out. Download the cheat sheet here. Special Characters ^ Matches the expression to its right at the start of a string.
- Regular expression or Regex is a sequence of characters that is used to check if a string contains the specified search pattern. RegEx Module To use RegEx module, python comes with built-in package called re, which we need to work with Regular expression.
To use RegEx module, python comes with built-in package called re, which we need to work with Regular expression. To use RegEx module, just import re module.
Example
Output
RegEx Functions
The re module offers couples of functions that allows us to search a string for a match.
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| findall | Returns a list containing all matches |
| search | Returns a Match object, if the match found anywhere in the string |
| split | Returns a list, where the string has been split at each math |
| sub | Replaces one or many matches with a string |
Metacharacters
Metacharacters in RegEx are characters with a special meaning.
| Characters | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [] | A set of characters | “[a-m]” |
| Signals a special sequence, also used to escape special characters | “d” | |
| . | Any character except newline character | “he..o” |
| ^ | Starts with | “^Hello” |
| $ | Ends with | “World$” |
| * | Zero or more occurences | “aix*” |
| + | One or more occurrences | “aix+” |
| {} | Exactly the specified number of occurences | “a|{2}” |
| | | Either or | “short|long” |
| () | Capture and group |
Special Sequences
Special sequences in RegEx is a followed by one of the characters listed below and has a special meaning -
| Character | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Returns a match if the specified characters are at the beginning of the string | “APyt” |
| b | Returns a match if the specified characters are at the start or at the end of a word | r”bPython” r”worldb” |
| B | Returns a match if the specified characters are present, but NOT at the start(or at the end) of a word | r”BPython” r”WorldB” |
| d | Returns a match if the string contains digits | “d” |
| D | Returns a match if the string DOES NOT contain digits | “D” |
| s | Returns a match where the string contains a white space character | “s” |
| S | Returns a match where the string DOES NOT contain a white space character | “S” |
| w | Returns a match if the string contains any word characters (characters may be letter from a to Z, digits from 0-9, and the underscore _ character | “w” |
| W | Returns a match where the string DOES NOT contain any word characters | “W” |
| Z | Returns a match if the specified characters are at the end of the string | “worldZ” |
Sets
A set in RegEx is a set of characters inside a pair of square brackets [] having some special meaning.
| Set | Description |
|---|---|
| [raj] | Returns a match if one of the specified characters (a, r or n) are present |
| [a-r] | Returns a match for any lower case letter, alphabetically between a and r |
| [^raj] | Returns a match for any character Except r, a and j |
| [0123] | Returns a match where any of the spe |
| [0-9] | Returns a match for any digit between 0 and 9 |
| [0-3][0-8] | Returns a match for any two-digit numbers between 00 and 38 |
| [a-zA-Z] | Returns a match for any character alphabetically between a to z or A to Z |
| [+] | Return a match for any + character in the string |
Example - findall()
The findall() function returns a list containg all matches.
Output
Above output display list contains all the matches in the order they are found. However, if no match found, an empty list is displayed.
Just change the below line in your above program, “pattern” which is not there in the text or string.
Output
Example - search() function
Python Regex Cheat Sheet Examples Pdf
The search() function searches the string and returns a match object if match is found.
However, if there are more than one match, only the first occurrence of the match will be returned.
Output
However, if no match found then None is returned.
Example - split() function
The split() function in RegEx returns a list where the string has been split at each match -
Result
Example - sub() function
The sub() function in RegEx is to replace the match with the text of your choice.
Result
Match Object
A match object in RegEx is an object containing information about the search and the result. In no match found, None is returned.
Example - Search a string and returned match object.
Python Regex Cheat Sheet Examples For Beginners
Result
The match object has properties and methods used to retrieve information about the search, and the Result.
.span() – returns a tuple containing the start and end position of the match found.
.string – returns the string passed into the function.
.group() – returns the part of the string where there was a match.
Example - Print the part of the string where there was a match.
Result