How to match paragraphs using regex in javascript?

Question

I'd like a regex that matches paragraphs, so for example :

The red brown fox, did something. [newline] I don't remember this text.

[newline]

[newline] So, instead I'll say blah blah. [newline] Blah.

would return an array like this:

['The red brown...', 'So instead I'll say...']

I already have this regex (that I stole, shh): /(?:[^\r\n]|\r(?!\n))+/gm

However this pattern matches both linebreaks (one newline) and paragraphs breaks (two newline). How can I match the body of text between paragraphs, but not split the matches between single linebreaks?

I need to match the body of text, not the actual newlines, I'm sorry. Let me edit that. — Sebastian Olsen
– Sebastian Olsen, Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 17:46
"I already have this regex (that I stole, shh)" bad Sebastian :D — lenilsondc
– lenilsondc, Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 17:53
I have come up with .match(/(?:.|(?:\r?\n|\r)(?!\r?\n|\r))+/g) but I do not like it. This is good: s.match(/.+(?:(?:\r?\n|\r)(?!\r?\n|\r).*)*/g). Splitting is better: var s = "The red brown fox, did something.\r\nI don't remember this text.\r\n\r\nSo, instead I'll say blah blah.\r\nBlah."; console.log(s.split(/(?:\r\n){2,}/g)); — Wiktor Stribiżew
– Wiktor Stribiżew, Commented Oct 21, 2016 at 17:56

lenilsondc · Accepted Answer · 2016-10-21 22:25:13Z

2

You can use this regex /(.+)((\r?\n.+)*)/gm to capture only what can be considered a paragraph. According to your description, a paragraph can have normal text and single line breaks. The following example implements this solution.

// Orignial input
var input = `

    The red brown fox, did something.
I don't remember this text

So, instead I'll say blah blah. 
Blah.

another paragraph
`;

document.write('<code>ORIGNIAL</code><pre>' + input + '</pre><hr>');

var 
  regex = /(.+)((\r?\n.+)*)/gm,
  matches, output = []; // output is used to store all paragraphs

while (matches = regex.exec(input)) {
  output.push(matches[0]);
  document.write('<code>PARAGRAPH ' + output.length + '</code><pre>' + matches[0] + '</pre><hr>');
}

pre {
  background-color: lightGray;
  margin: 2px 0;
}
hr {
  border: none;
  margin:0;
  padding:0;
}

edited Oct 21, 2016 at 22:25

answered Oct 21, 2016 at 17:50

lenilsondc

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4 Comments

Sebastian Olsen Over a year ago

This still matches single linebreaks, not just paragraphs.

lenilsondc Over a year ago

@SebastianOlsen you expect line breaks to be inside the paragraph?

Sebastian Olsen Over a year ago

Yes, I want linebreaks inside paragraphs.

lenilsondc Over a year ago

@SebastianOlsen late response but I've updated my answer.

Wiktor Stribiżew · Accepted Answer · 2016-10-21 20:04:18Z

1

You may split with the linebreak (sequence, depends on the linebreak style) with a {2,} limiting quantifier:

var s = "The red brown fox, did something.\r\nI don't remember this text.\r\n\r\nSo, instead I'll say blah blah.\r\nBlah.";    
console.log(s.split(/(?:\r\n){2,}/));

So, here, /(?:\r\n){2,}/ matches 2 or more consecutive CR+LF sequences. If the linebreak style is LF only, use a simpler /\n{2,}/ pattern.

answered Oct 21, 2016 at 20:04

Wiktor Stribiżew

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