RegexAssistant

What RegexAssistant is

RegexAssistant is a free, open-source Windows desktop tool for creating and checking regular expressions. Its graphical interface updates results as expressions are typed, showing when a pattern works and when it stops matching. Users can view results for Boost, Scintilla, POSIX, STD Regex, Perl, and SED implementations. A token reference describes tokens, provides examples and sample matches, and inserts a token into the expression when double-clicked. It includes common patterns for phone numbers, IP addresses, dates, URLs, credit cards, and GUIDs. The tool supports search and replace using Boost or STD compatibility, with an Undo button to reverse a replacement. It can also convert Windows file-system and SQL wildcard expressions into regular expressions. The project README links to downloadable release binaries, and the releases page lists version v1.0.0.5. The repository identifies the project as GPL-3.0 licensed and provides an Issues section. Building it requires Visual Studio 2017 or 2019, plus Boost and Scintilla, neither of which is included in the repository.

Who it suits

RegexAssistant suits Windows users who need to create or check expressions across the listed regex implementations. Its token reference and wildcard conversion are useful for users working with those patterns.

Limits

The application is available for Windows desktop use. Building it requires Visual Studio 2017 or 2019 plus Boost and Scintilla, which are not bundled in the repository.

Getting started

1. Open the project website
2. Download a release binary linked in the README
3. Run RegexAssistant on Windows
4. Enter a regular expression to view live results
5. Choose a compatibility option such as Boost, POSIX, Perl, or SED
6. Use the token list or wildcard conversion when needed

Verdict

RegexAssistant offers live expression checking, a token reference, replacement, and wildcard conversion in a free Windows tool. Building from the repository requires additional software dependencies.