a match that ignores capitals
Matches a match that ignores capitals. It is anchored at both ends, so the whole string has to match. There are no capture groups.
Pattern
/^cat$/i- Match scope
- the whole string
- Capture groups
- 0
- Flags
- i · ignore case
- What it catches in the first example
- cat
Try it yourself
Type any text and the parts this expression catches are highlighted. It runs in your browser and is never sent anywhere.
cat
1 match
Examples that match
- cat
- CAT
- Cat
Examples that do not match
- cats
- dog
Other expressions in this group
^\u00e9$a character written by code point^Hellotext that starts with this wordworld$text that ends with this word^cat$exactly this word and nothing else\bcat\bthe word on its own, not inside another\Bcatthe word only inside another word^bthe start of each line, not just the text^a.b$any character, line breaks includedHow 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 a match that ignores capitals?
^cat$, with the i flag.
Q. Which strings match?
Text like cat matches; text like cats 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 no capture groups, so only the whole match (match[0]) comes back. Wrap the part you need in brackets to capture it.