In computer programming, a boolean is a data type that can have only two values: true or false. Booleans are often used to represent the truth value of a statement or condition. In this article let’s understand how we can create a regex for boolean and how regex can be matched for boolean values.
Regex (short for regular expression) is a powerful tool used for searching and manipulating text. It is composed of a sequence of characters that define a search pattern. Regex can be used to find patterns in large amounts of text, validate user input, and manipulate strings. It is widely used in programming languages, text editors, and command line tools.
Conditions to match a Boolean value
The value has to be one of the following-
- True
- False
Regex for checking if its a valid Boolean value
Regular Expression-
/^(?:true|false)$/igm
Test string examples for the above regex-
Input String | Match Output |
---|---|
zero | does not match |
false | matches |
1 | does not match |
TRUE | matches |
True | matches |
Here is a detailed explanation of the above regex-
/^(?:true|false)$/igm
^ asserts position at start of a line
Non-capturing group (?:true|false)
1st Alternative true
true matches the characters true literally (case insensitive)
2nd Alternative false
false matches the characters false literally (case insensitive)
$ asserts position at the end of a line
Global pattern flags
i modifier: insensitive. Case insensitive match (ignores case of [a-zA-Z])
g modifier: global. All matches (don't return after first match)
m modifier: multi line. Causes ^ and $ to match the begin/end of each line (not only begin/end of string)
Hope this article was useful to check the validity of a boolean value using regex. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to comment below. In conclusion, understanding how to create a regular expression (regex) for boolean values is a valuable skill for programmers. Regex allows us to efficiently search for and validate true or false values within text. By using the regex pattern /^(?:true|false)$/igm, we can accurately check the validity of boolean values in various programming contexts. With this knowledge, programmers can effectively manipulate and process boolean data, improving the efficiency and accuracy of their applications.