Difference between re.match(), re.search() and re.findall() . dEexams.com

re.match()

The re.match() method finds match if it occurs at start of the string.

Ex.

Find pattern 'DE' in 'DE - dEexms A learning website, DE'

>>> import re
>>> res = re.match('DE', 'DE - dEexms A learning website, DE')
>>> res

>>> res.group(0)
'DE'
>>>

Now if we find pattern 'DE' in 'dEexms A learning website, DE', it will None as there is no match at start of the string.

>>> res = re.match('DE', 'dEexms A learning website, DE')
>>> print(res)
None
>>>

re.search()

The re.search() method is similar to re.match() but it doesn’t limit us to find matches at the beginning of the string only. re.search() searches for the whole string even if the string contains multi-lines and tries to find a match of the sub-string in all the lines of string.

Ex.

>>> res = re.search('DE', 'DE - dEexms A learning website, DE')
>>> res

>>> res.group(0)
'DE'

Now when pattern is not at beginning of the string

>>> res = re.search('DE', 'dEexms A learning website, DE')
>>> res

>>> res.group(0)
'DE'
>>>

re.findall()

The re.findall() returns a list of all matching patterns. It searches from start or end of the given string. findall returns all occurrences of the pattern in list format. While searching a pattern, it is recommended to use re.findall() always, it works like re.search() and re.match() both.

Ex.

>>> res = re.findall('DE', 'DE - dEexms A learning website, DE')
>>> res
['DE', 'DE']

Amit on Sep 05, 2020 at 08:09 am

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