RegExp.prototype

The RegExp.prototype property represents the prototype object for the RegExp constructor.

Description

See RegExp for a description of RegExp instances. RegExp instances inherit from RegExp.prototype. Modifications to the prototype object are propagated to all RegExp instances.

Properties

See also deprecated RegExp properties.

Note that several of the RegExp properties have both long and short (Perl-like) names. Both names always refer to the same value. Perl is the programming language from which JavaScript modeled its regular expressions.

RegExp.prototype.constructor

Specifies the function that creates an object's prototype.

RegExp.prototype.flags

A string that contains the flags of the RegExp object.

RegExp.prototype.global

Whether to test the regular expression against all possible matches in a string, or only against the first.

RegExp.prototype.ignoreCase

Whether to ignore case while attempting a match in a string.

RegExp.prototype.multiline

Whether or not to search in strings across multiple lines.

RegExp.prototype.source

The text of the pattern.

RegExp.prototype.sticky

Whether or not the search is sticky.

RegExp.prototype.unicode

Whether or not Unicode features are enabled.

Methods

RegExp.prototype.compile()

(Re-)compiles a regular expression during execution of a script.

RegExp.prototype.exec()

Executes a search for a match in its string parameter.

RegExp.prototype.test()

Tests for a match in its string parameter.

RegExp.prototype[@@match]()

Performs match to given string and returns match result.

RegExp.prototype[@@replace]()

Replaces matches in given string with new substring.

RegExp.prototype[@@search]()

Searches the match in given string and returns the index the pattern found in the string.

RegExp.prototype[@@split]()

Splits given string into an array by separating the string into substring.

RegExp.prototype.toSource()

Returns an object literal representing the specified object; you can use this value to create a new object. Overrides the Object.prototype.toSource() method.

RegExp.prototype.toString()

Returns a string representing the specified object. Overrides the Object.prototype.toString() method.

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
ECMAScript 3rd Edition (ECMA-262)	Standard	Initial definition. Implemented in JavaScript 1.1.
ECMAScript 5.1 (ECMA-262) The definition of 'RegExp' in that specification.	Standard
ECMAScript 2015 (6th Edition, ECMA-262) The definition of 'RegExp.prototype' in that specification.	Standard	Added flags, sticky and unicode properties.
ECMAScript 2017 Draft (ECMA-262) The definition of 'RegExp.prototype' in that specification.	Draft

Browser compatibility

See also

• Regular Expressions chapter in the JavaScript Guide
• RegExp
• Function.prototype