JavaScript String match()
Examples
A search for "ain" using a string:
let text = "The rain in SPAIN stays mainly in the plain";
text.match("ain");
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A search for "ain" using a regular expression:
let text = "The rain in SPAIN stays mainly in the plain";
text.match(/ain/);
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A global search for "ain":
let text = "The rain in SPAIN stays mainly in the plain";
text.match(/ain/g);
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A global, case-insensitive search:
let text = "The rain in SPAIN stays mainly in the plain";
text.match(/ain/gi);
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Description
The match() method matches a string against a regular expression **
The match() method returns an array with the matches.
The match() method returns null if no match is found.
Note
** If the search value is a string, it is converted to a regular expression.
See Also:
Syntax
string.match(match)
Parameters
| Parameter | Description |
| match | Required. The search value. A regular expression (or a string that will be converted to a regular expression). |
Return Values
| Type | Description |
| An array or null | An array containing the matches.null if no match is found. |
The Difference Between
String match() and String search()
The match() method returns an array of matches.
The search() method returns the position of the first match.
Regular Expression Search Methods
In JavaScript, a regular expression text search, can be done with different methods.
With a pattern as a regular expression, these are the most common methods:
| Example | Description |
|---|---|
| text.match(pattern) | The String method match() |
| text.search(pattern) | The String method search() |
| pattern.exec(text) | The RexExp method exec() |
| pattern.test(text) | The RegExp method test() |
Browser Support
match() is an ECMAScript1 (ES1) feature.
ES1 (JavaScript 1997) is fully supported in all browsers:
| Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Safari | Opera | IE |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |