C++ for the Impatient

Chapter 20. C++11 Regular-Expression Library

Applications such as Microsoft Word have long supported pattern-matching, or regular-expression, capabilities. Using C and C++, it was always possible to write your own regular-expression engines, but it required sophisticated, complex programming—and usually a degree in computer science. Now C++11 makes these capabilities directly available to you, without your having to write a regular-expression engine yourself.

Regular expressions are of practical value in many programs, as they can aid with the task of lexical analysis—intelligently breaking up pieces of an input string—as well as tasks such as converting from one text-file format (such as HTML) to another.

I’ve found that when the C++11 regular ...