How can I use Javascript RegExp to escape brackets?

Question

I tried to use the following RegExp to escape the brackets and things inside. Here is the example string:

hjdsoghbesi (saeogbesor) serogberso ersberawsewf(edsrgb) sfdrobersb ouersber

I want the result code to be

hjdsoghbesi serogberso ersberawsewf sfdrobersb ouersber

I tried to use the following:

myString.replace(/\(.*\)/g,"")

However, this focused on the very first open bracket and the very last close bracket and gave me:

hjdsoghbesi sfdrobersb ouersber

How can I achieve the result that I wanted?

If you intend to answer, please tell me why your RegExp can achieve my purpose as I am unfamiliar with RegExp.

When your regexp is not working it's always a good idea to try an on-line regexp tester such as regex101. In addition to testing your regexp it will describe it to you in human terms. In this case, the description for the `*` is: *Quantifier: \* Between zero and unlimited times, as **many times as possible**, giving back as needed [greedy]*. — , Sep 18 '16 at 15:50

Oriol · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-18T15:18:14.870

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Use non-greedy quantifiers:

var str = "hjdsoghbesi (saeogbesor) serogberso ersberawsewf(edsrgb) sfdrobersb ouersber";
console.log(str.replace(/\(.*?\)/g, ""));

* is greedy, it will match as many characters as possible.

*? is lazy, it will match as few as possible.

edited Sep 18 '16 at 15:18

answered Sep 18 '16 at 15:14

Oriol

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I see that you used "?" to prevent the problem. Can you explain why that happens like that? – Sep 18 '16 at 15:14
What about nested brackets? – stdob-- Sep 18 '16 at 15:16
@stdob-- I assume no nesting. Regex can't handle arbitrarily deep nesting anyways. – Oriol Sep 18 '16 at 15:17
*Can you explain why that happens like that?* It happens like that because that is what `*?` tells it to do. – Sep 18 '16 at 15:43

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 18 '16 at 15:26

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In addition to Oriol's answer, I see the following possibility. Use [^\)] instead of .: myString.replace(/\([^\)]*\)/g,""). [^\)] matches all characters except for ). [] lists matching characters and ^ at this point inverts them so that all except for the listed ones are matched.

answered Sep 18 '16 at 15:26

mm759

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No need to escape the `)` inside the character set. – Sep 18 '16 at 15:44

How can I use Javascript RegExp to escape brackets?

2 Answers2