a TODO note left in a comment
Matches a TODO note left in a comment. It finds the match anywhere inside the text. There is 1 capture group.
Pattern
/TODO:?\s*(.*)/- Match scope
- anywhere inside the text
- Capture groups
- 1
- What it catches in the first example
- TODO: fix later
Try it yourself
Type any text and the parts this expression catches are highlighted. It runs in your browser and is never sent anywhere.
// TODO: fix later
TODO check
2 matches
Examples that match
- // TODO: fix later
- TODO check
Examples that do not match
- done
- // note
Other expressions in this group
,\s*([}\]])a comma left before a closing bracket\*\*([^*]+)\*\*bold text wrapped in double asterisks`([^`]+)`code wrapped in backticks(\w+)="([^"]*)"an attribute whose value is in double quotes\x1b\[[0-9;]*ma terminal colour escape codefrom ['\"]([^'\"]+)['\"]the path in an import statement#[0-9a-fA-F]{6}\ba hex colour inside running text\d+(px|em|rem|%)a number with a CSS unitHow 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 TODO note left in a comment?
TODO:?\s*(.*).
Q. Which strings match?
Text like // TODO: fix later matches; text like done 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 is one capture group, so you can read them from match[1] onwards.