Regular Expressions Language Elements

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Quantifiers add optional quantity data to a regular expression. A quantifier expression applies to the character, group, or character class that immediately precedes it. The .NET Framework regular expressions support minimal matching ( lazy ) quantifiers.

The following table describes the metacharacters that affect matching quantity.

Quantifier	Description
*	Specifies zero or more matches; for example, \w* or ( abc ) *. Same as {0,}.
+	Specifies one or more matches; for example, \w+ or ( abc ) +. Same as {1,}.
?	Specifies zero or one matches; for example, \w? or ( abc ) ?. Same as {0,1}.
{n}	Specifies exactly n matches; for example, ( pizza ) {2}.
{n,}	Specifies at least n matches; for example, ( abc ) {2,}.
{n,m}	Specifies at least n, but no more than m, matches.
+?	Specifies the first match that consumes as few repeats as possible ( Lazy * ).
+?	Specifies as few repeats as possible, but at least one ( Lazy + ).
??	Specifies zero repeats if possible, or one ( Lazy ? ).
{n}?	Equivalent to {n} ( Lazy {n} ).
{n,}?	Specifies as few repeats as possible, but at least n ( Lazy {n,} ).
{n,m}?	Specifies as few repeats as possible, but between n and m ( Lazy {n,m} ).

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