JavaScript equivalent of PHP's preg_replace

Question

I am using a simple regex to replace break tags with newlines:

br_regex = /<br>/;
input_content = input_content.replace(br_regex, "\n");

This only replaces the first instance of a break tag, but I need to replace all. preg_match_all() would do the trick in PHP, but I'd like to know the JavaScript equivalent.

Agha

As you don't need to match a regex pattern, you should be using str_replace() in PHP instead of preg_match_all() for your example: $str = str_replace('<br>', "\n", $str); – Insensible

You should really change title saying preg_replace and not preg_match_all, this is confusing and doesn't help when searching – Autumnautumnal

Answer 1

Use the global flag, g:

foo.replace(/<br>/g,"\n")

Mead

Answer 2

JS idiom for non-Regexp global replace:

input_content.split('<br>').join('\n')

Fausta

I feel dirty using this but it works and is the only way if the regex expression is base 64 decoded. TY :) – Threedecker

Hi @bobince, Asker wanted a RegEx based solution, why do you answer this? – Entrance

@Entrance The regex solution had already been given; this is an alternative as for simple string replacement regex isn't necessary. – Fausta