Expressions

Expressions is a super handy tool that lets you use the ICU regular expression standard to create cool highlight patterns for any text string. The best part? You can see your changes in real time, so playing around with the syntax is easy and fun!

Easy-to-Use Interface

The Expressions interface is simple and clear. It has one main window split into two sections: at the top, you can enter your expressions, and at the bottom, you'll place the text you want to test those patterns on.

Reference Sheet Panel

If you need a little help, there's a reference sheet panel you can toggle on and off. This shows metacharacters and operators—including non-capturing ones—that are useful when creating new patterns.

Color Coding for Clarity

To make things even easier, Expressions uses color coding (blue, pink, and white) to differentiate between various elements in your expression. Plus, if you're curious about how NSRegularExpression works, check out Apple’s developer resources!

Real-Time Highlighting

Once you start typing new constructions in the Expressions panel, it immediately applies those rules to the text below. You’ll see highlighted terms switching between pink and blue backgrounds—pretty neat!

Navigating with Hotkeys

You can zip between the two sections using hotkeys: hit Command + P to jump to the pattern area or Command + T to go back to your text. There are also keyboard combinations for highlighting previous or next groups.

Light & Dark Themes

The app comes with both light and dark themes. It’s case insensitive too! Plus, it handles multiple lines easily and allows whitespaces and comments.

No Setup Needed

You don’t need any special configurations; Expressions works right out of the box! If you want to focus better, there’s even a fullscreen mode available.

If you're ready to try it out yourself, download Expressions here!