a Markdown link
Matches a Markdown link. It finds the match anywhere inside the text. There are 2 capture groups.
Pattern
/\[([^\]]+)\]\(([^)]+)\)/- Match scope
- anywhere inside the text
- Capture groups
- 2
- What it catches in the first example
- [home](/index)
Try it yourself
Type any text and the parts this expression catches are highlighted. It runs in your browser and is never sent anywhere.
[home](/index)
see [docs](https://a.io)
2 matches
Examples that match
- [home](/index)
- see [docs](https://a.io)
Examples that do not match
- [home]
- (link)
Other expressions in this group
//.*$a comment that starts with two slashes/\*[\s\S]*?\*/a comment that spans lines"[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*"text inside double quotes'[^'\\]*(?:\\.[^'\\]*)*'text inside single quotes^#{1,6}\s+.+$a Markdown heading line(?:^|\s)#([a-z0-9_]+)a hashtag(?:^|\s)@([a-z0-9_]{2,})an @ mention[?&]([^=&]+)=([^&]*)a query parameter in a URLHow 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 Markdown link?
\[([^\]]+)\]\(([^)]+)\).
Q. Which strings match?
Text like [home](/index) matches; text like [home] does not.
Q. Does the whole string have to match?
No. It finds the part anywhere inside the text. Add ^ and $ around it if you want a whole-string check.
Q. How do I use what it caught?
There are 2 capture groups, so you can read them from match[1] onwards.