Development Tools

top
Editor
REGULAR EXPRESSIONS SYNTAX
Quantifiers

B.4 Quantifiers

Quantifiers add optional quantity data to a regular expression. A quantifier expression applies to the character, group, or character class that immediately precedes it.

The following table describes the metacharacters that affect matching quantity:

Table B.5

List of Quantifiers

Quantifier	Description
*	Specifies zero or more matches; for example, \w* or (abc)*. Same as {0,}.
+	Specifies one or more matches; for example, \w+ or (abc)+. Same as {1,}.
?	Specifies zero or one matches; for example, \w? or (abc)?. Same as {0,1}.
{n}	Specifies exactly n matches; for example, (pizza){2}.
{n,}	Specifies at least n matches; for example, (abc){2,}.
{n,m}	Specifies at least n, but no more than m, matches.