Simplify Regular Expressions with RegExpBuilderJS

6 bulan yang lalu

Regular expressions are connected of nan astir powerful devices successful a developer's toolkit. But let's beryllium honest, regex benignant of sucks to write. Not only is it difficult to write, but it's besides difficult to publication and debug too. So really tin we make it easier to use?

In its accepted form, regex defines powerful drawstring patterns successful a very compact statement. One trade-off we tin make is to usage a much verbose syntax that is easier to publication and write. This is nan intent of a package for illustration regexpbuilderjs.

The regexpbuilderjs package is really a larboard of nan celebrated PHP package, regexpbuilderphp. The regexpbuilderphp package itself is simply a larboard of an aged JS package, regexpbuilder, which now seems to beryllium gone. This caller package is meant to proceed nan activity of nan original regexpbuilder package.

All in installments goes to Andrew Jones for creating nan original JS type and Max Girkens for nan PHP port.

Installation

To instal nan package, you tin usage npm:

$ npm instal regexpbuilderjs

Usage

Here's a elemental illustration of really you tin usage nan package:

const RegExpBuilder = require('regexpbuilderjs'); const builder = new RegExpBuilder(); const regEx = builder .startOfLine() .exactly(1) .of('S') .getRegExp();

Now let's break this down a bit. The RegExpBuilder people is nan main people that you'll beryllium utilizing to build your regular expressions. You tin commencement by creating a caller lawsuit of this people and concatenation methods together to create your regex:

startOfLine(): This method adds nan ^ characteristic to nan regex, which matches nan commencement of a line.
exactly(1): This method adds nan {1} quantifier to nan regex, which matches precisely 1 occurrence of a fixed characteristic aliases group.
of('S'): This method adds nan S characteristic to nan regex.
getRegExp(): This method returns nan last RegExp entity that you tin usage to lucifer strings.

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With this, you tin lucifer strings for illustration "Scott", "Soccer", aliases "S418401".

This is awesome and all, but this is astir apt a regex drawstring you could travel up pinch connected your ain and not struggle excessively overmuch to read. So now let's spot a much analyzable example:

const builder = new RegExpBuilder(); const regExp = builder .startOfInput() .exactly(4).digits() .then('_') .exactly(2).digits() .then('_') .min(3).max(10).letters() .then('.') .anyOf(['png', 'jpg', 'gif']) .endOfInput() .getRegExp();

This regex is meant to lucifer filenames, which whitethorn look like:

2020_10_hund.jpg
2030_11_katze.png
4000_99_maus.gif

Some absorbing parts of this regex is that we tin specify type of strings (i.e. digits()), min and max occurrences of a characteristic aliases group (i.e. min(3).max(10)), and a database of imaginable values (i.e. anyOf(['png', 'jpg', 'gif'])).

For a afloat database of methods you tin usage to build your regex, you tin cheque retired nan documentation.

This is conscionable a mini sensation of what you tin do pinch regexpbuilderjs. The package is very powerful and tin thief you build analyzable regular expressions successful a much readable and maintainable way.

Conclusion

Comments, questions, and suggestions are ever welcome! If you person immoderate feedback connected really this could activity better, consciousness free to reach retired connected X. In nan meantime, you tin cheque retired nan repo connected GitHub and springiness it a prima while you're astatine it.

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