$ perl -lwe '"abbbbc"=~/(b+)/ && print "Found: $1"'
Found: bbbb
 $ perl -lwe '"abbbbc"=~/(b*)/ && print "Found: $1"'
Found:

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In both cases, the regexp succeed. In the first case, b+ picks up all four b's. In the second case, b* picks up zero b's. Why is + greedy in this example, but * is not? I try to find enlightment at perlre, but with no success.

-- 
Ronald Fischer <ynnor@mm.st>

In reply to Greediness of * vs. greediness of + by rovf

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