two parts caught separately
Matches two parts caught separately. It is anchored at both ends, so the whole string has to match. There are 2 capture groups.
Pattern
/^(\d{3})-(\d{4})$/- Match scope
- the whole string
- Capture groups
- 2
- What it catches in the first example
- 123-4567
Try it yourself
Type any text and the parts this expression catches are highlighted. It runs in your browser and is never sent anywhere.
123-4567
1 match
Examples that match
- 123-4567
Examples that do not match
- 1234567
- 12-345
Other expressions in this group
<.+?>one tag, taken as short as possible^<.+>$one chunk, taken as long as possible^(?:cat|dog)$either one of two words^(?:ab)+$a two-letter group, repeated^(?:\d{3}-)+\d{4}$grouping without catching^(?<year>\d{4})-(?<month>\d{2})$catching with a name attached(\w)\1the same character twice in a row\b(\w+)\s+\1\bthe same word typed twiceHow to read this
- With ^ and $ around it, the whole string must match; without them the match can sit anywhere. Always anchor an expression you use for validation.
- Round brackets ( ) capture what they wrap. When you only need grouping, write (?: ) so the numbering of later groups does not shift.
- Every expression here is checked against its examples. Even so, "looks like an email" and "is a real inbox" remain different questions.
- Nested open-ended repeats such as (a+)+ can blow up on certain inputs. Look for that shape before pasting someone else’s expression into your code.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is the regex for two parts caught separately?
^(\d{3})-(\d{4})$.
Q. Which strings match?
Text like 123-4567 matches; text like 1234567 does not.
Q. Does the whole string have to match?
Yes. It is wrapped in ^ and $, so nothing but a full match passes.
Q. How do I use what it caught?
There are 2 capture groups, so you can read them from match[1] onwards.