Meaning of javascript text between two slashes

Question

On Dreamweaver if I write on a Javascript document some text between two slashes like

<script type="text/javascript">
    /text/
</script>

it becomes green.

What it the meaning of this text? This is not a comment, neither "HTML text".

Thank you

Mozilla Regular Expression object documentation [here](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript/Guide/Regular_Expressions) — dgh, May 02 '13 at 19:03

score 7 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 02 '20 at 23:42

7

It is the regular expression literal.

From w3schools:

var patt=new RegExp(pattern,modifiers);

or more simply:

var patt=/pattern/modifiers;

And from MDN:

RegExp(pattern [, flags])

/pattern/flags

edited Aug 02 '20 at 23:42

iota

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answered May 02 '13 at 19:01

antoyo

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Thank you. If always used the new RegExp. I thought that in JS was like PHP, where the Regular expression is between quotes – user2120569 May 02 '13 at 19:04
What is the significance of it just sitting there with no assignment? What purpose could it have? – trognanders May 02 '13 at 19:04
Write it so: "/something/" and use it in a function – user2120569 May 02 '13 at 19:05
2

Just as a side note, w3schools is not the best reference out there: http://w3fools.com/ instead use https://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/JavaScript – Salvatorelab May 02 '13 at 19:06

Keen · Answer 2 · 2020-08-06T00:29:53.780

1

It's a RegExp literal. I recommend doing your own research on the topic. I could write an introduction to finite automata and regular languages, but you'd always be able to find a better introduction with a little searching.

edited Aug 06 '20 at 00:29

answered May 02 '13 at 19:01

Keen

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 02 '13 at 19:05

0

You can use regular expression literals like this:

var pattern = /([0-9]+)/;
if(pattern.test(someString)) {
    // ...
} else {
    // ...
}

See also: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript/Guide/Regular_Expressions

answered May 02 '13 at 19:05

Jack

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Meaning of javascript text between two slashes

3 Answers3

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