JS regex replace not working

Question

I've got a JS string

var str = '<at id="11:12345678">@robot</at> ping';

I need to remove this part of a string

<at id="11:12345678">@

So I am trying to use

var str = str.replace("<at.+@","");

But there is no change after excution. Moreover if I try to use match it gives me

str.match("<at.+@");
//Result from Chrome console Repl
["<at id="11:12345678">@", index: 0, input: "<at id="11:12345678">@robot</at> ping"]

So pattern actualy works but replace do nothing

Because you didn't pass in a regex! Try this: var str = str.replace(/<at.+@/,""); — ibrahim mahrir
– ibrahim mahrir, Commented Mar 16, 2017 at 11:19
Because match is already expecting a regex so if you provide a string it will create a regex using new RegExp. But replace could take both a string litteral or a regex. If the parametter is a string then it will not be transformed into a regex it will just look for it as a string litteral and since there is no substring "<at.+@" it will replace nothing! — ibrahim mahrir
– ibrahim mahrir, Commented Mar 16, 2017 at 11:33

Suren Srapyan · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-16 11:31:50Z

5

Use // for regex. Replace "<at.+@" with /<at.+@/.

var str = '<at id="11:12345678">@robot</at> ping'; 

str = str.replace(/<at.+@/,"");

console.log(str);

Documentation for replace

answered Mar 16, 2017 at 11:19

Suren Srapyan

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