PHP | preg_replace() Function
Last Updated :
31 May, 2023
The preg_replace() function is an inbuilt function in PHP that is used to perform a regular expression for search and replace the content.
Syntax:
preg_replace( $pattern, $replacement, $subject, $limit, $count )
Parameters: This function accepts five parameters as mentioned above and described below.
- $pattern: This parameter contains the string element which is used to search the content and it can be a string or array of strings.
- $replacement: It is a mandatory parameter that specifies the string or an array with strings to replace.
- $subject: The string or an array with strings to search and replace.
- $limit: This parameter specifies the maximum possible replacements for each pattern.
- $count: It is an optional parameter. This variable will be filled with the number of replacements done.
Return Value: This function returns an array if the subject parameter is an array, or a string otherwise. The below programs illustrate the preg_replace() function in PHP.
Program 1: The following program replaces string by using the regular expression parameter.
php
<?php
$string = 'November 01, 2018' ;
$pattern = '/(\w+) (\d+), (\d+)/i' ;
$replacement = '${1} 02, $3' ;
echo preg_replace( $pattern , $replacement , $string );
?>
|
Output:
November 02, 2018
Program 2 :
php
<?php
$subject = array ( '1' , 'GFG' , '2' ,
'Geeks' , '3' , 'GCET' , 'Contribute' , '4' );
$pattern = array ( '/\d/' , '/[a-z]/' , '/[1a]/' );
$replace = array ( 'X:$0' , 'Y:$0' , 'Z:$0' );
echo "preg_replace returns\n";
print_r(preg_replace( $pattern , $replace , $subject ));
?>
|
Output:
preg_replace returns
Array
(
[0] => X:Z:1
[1] => GFG
[2] => X:2
[3] => GY:eY:eY:kY:s
[4] => X:3
[5] => GCET
[6] => CY:oY:nY:tY:rY:iY:bY:uY:tY:e
[7] => X:4
)
Program 3:
php
<?php
$count = 0;
echo preg_replace( array ( '/\d/' , '/\s/' ),
'*' , 'Geeks 4 Geeks' , -1, $count );
echo "\n" . $count ;
?>
|
Reference: http://php.net/manual/en/function.preg-replace.php
Share your thoughts in the comments
Please Login to comment...