Programming Perl, 4th Edition

Regular Expression Special Variables

The following special variables related to pattern matching are visible throughout the dynamic scope in which the pattern match occurred. In other words, they behave as though they were declared with local, so you needn’t declare them that way yourself. See Chapter 5.

$digits

$& ($MATCH)
$' ($POSTMATCH)
$` ($PREMATCH)

${^MATCH}
${^POSTMATCH}
${^PREMATCH}

$+ ($LAST_PAREN_MATCH)
%+ (%LAST_PAREN_MATCH)
@+ (@LAST_MATCH_END)

@–
%–

$^R ($LAST_REGEXP_CODE_RESULT)
$^N ($LAST_SUBMATCH_RESULT)