[Python-ideas] What about regexp string litterals : re".*" ?

[Simon D.]

Hello,

After some french discussions about this idea, I subscribed here to
suggest adding a new string litteral, for regexp, inspired by other
types like : u"", r"", b"", br"", f""…

The regexp string litteral could be represented by : re""

It would ease the use of regexps in Python, allowing to have some regexp
litterals, like in Perl or JavaScript.

We may end up with an integration like :

>>> import re
>>> if re".k" in 'ok':
    ... print "ok"
    ok
>>>

Regexps are part of the language in Perl, and the rather complicated
integration of regexp in other languages, especially in Python, is
something that comes up easily in language comparing discussion.

I've always felt JavaScript integration being half the way it should,
and new string litterals types in Python (like f"") looked like a good
compromise to have a tight integration of regexps without asking to make
them part of the language (as I imagine it has already been discussed
years ago, and obviously denied…).

As per XKCD illustration, using a regexp may be a problem on its own,
but really, the "each-language a new and complicated approach" is
another difficulty, of the level of writing regexps I think. And then,
when you get the trick for Python, it feels to me still to much letters
to type regarding the numerous problems one can solve using regexps.

I know regexps are slower than string-based workflow (like .startswith)
but regexps can do the most and the least, so they are rapide to come up
with, once you started to think with them. As Python philosophy is to
spare brain-cycles, sacrificing CPU-cycles, allowing to easily use
regexps is a brain-cycle savior trick.

What do you think ?

--
Simon Descarpentries
 +336 769 702 53
http://acoeuro.com