Product Description

Regular expressions are a powerful tool for manipulating text and data. They are now standard features in a range of languages and popular tools, including Perl, Java, VB.NET and C# (and any language using the .NET Framework), PHP, Python, Ruby, Tcl, MySQL, awk, and Emacs. This volume has been updated to include all the new features of Perl 5, 8, as well as several other languages, including Java, VB. NET, C#, Python, JavaScript, Tcl, and Ruby. It offers solutions to complex real-world problems and features information that can be put to immediate use. Topics covered include: a comparison of features among different versions of many languages and tools; how the regular expression engine works; optimization; matching just what you want, but not what you don't want; and sections and chapters on individual languages.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #381867 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Regular expressions--it sounds fairly ordinary in a regular sort of way, so therefore it must be very simple and very straightforward, right? Not quite.

The simple name hides an incredible amount of power when handling textual data with scripting languages such as Perl, Python and awk and more and the programmer that can master regular expressions can master just about anything.

From the off it's necessary to congratulate author Jeffrey Friedl on doing a superb job of asking what can be a very complex subject and breaking it down into digestible chunks that almost anyone can understand.

From the basics of character and pattern matching through to the recognition of complex string patterns and multiple character replacements to "greedy" metacharacters and how to curb their appetite, this is about as comprehensive as it gets.

With a handful of latter chapters devoted to the differences between scripting languages and the way in which they deal with regular expressions and so many examples it'll make your eyes water there's something here for everyone.

So, if you can examine a string like this "(\\.|[^"\\])*" and know what it does and how it does it there's plenty of reference material in here for those odd moments when you need a refresher. If, however, you've no idea what the above means, and you need the ability to handle textual data, buy this book. Now!

Major Keary, Book News, June 2002
"....Jeffrey Friedl, takes the reader through an amazing regex journey, probing every nook and cranny, and turning over every rock...."

Leo LaPorte, TechTV, July 16, 2002
"....There's no better way to learn how to use regular expressions than with Jeffrey Friedl's fine book."

Customer Reviews

Escellent coverage of a surprisingly complex topic
I bought this book so as to answer a couple of simple questions about regular expressions. I then found it surprisingly readable, and read it for pleasure.

Once I had read it, I found that I was able to apply what I had learned in a variety of powerful ways. I had known that regexes are an important part of Perl. But now I find that they are supported by, and remarkably useful in, Javascript.

The subject matter is difficult, largely because different regex engines work in subtly different ways - this is all clearly covered.

Above all, Friedl avoids the irritating patronising style of so many authors of computer books.

A Masterpiece of Fine Details
I bought, read and thoroughly enjoyed the first edition of this book, and was actually surprised to find the second edition a few years later, since I thought Jeffrey Friedl must have already said all there was to say about the subject, so complete was edition 1. However, I soon found a lot of useful new information in edition 2 (e.g. look-behind), beautifully explained as ever. Both editions are well-written IMO, although I wouldn't call them "easy reads". They are not really for dipping into, but for settling down with, although I can only usually manage a couple of chapters at a time, but I always come back. They are "satisfying reads", and somewhat addictive; I think they appeal to the nit-picker in me. For dipping into, perhaps the "Regular Expression Pocket Reference" (by a different author) will be better - I haven't read it yet. But if you actually want to understand REs (and they occur widely in the UNIX/Linux world that I inhabit :-) ), this book is a must.

As a bonus, it is also a rather good introduction to Perl (5.8 in the 2nd edition), but of course, REs are not confined to Perl, as the author makes clear.

My only criticism is actually of the paper quality of the 2nd edition, which is odd, since the 1st edition's paper was recycled and acid-free, which this is apparently not, but it looks cheap and nasty. I think Jeffrey Friedl deserves better.

Great Book
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It goes far behind simply using regExps but into efficiency and alternate strategies. Covers implementation in many languages (java, perl, .net) yet is still quite easy to understand.

The author says the aim of the book is to get you to "think in regular expressions", this is a great approach and I now find myself using regular expressions to do just about everything involving text.

Well recommended if you really want to understand and use regular expressions