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Description

By default any subpattern matches as many times as possible. This behaviour is changed to matching the minimum number if quantifier is followed with the question mark. Compare "*" (Case 1) with "*?" (Case 2), "+" (Case 3) with "+?" (Case 4), and "?" (Case 5) with "??" (Case 6).

Source

One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Case 1

Regular Expression: r.*
First match:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
All matches:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Case 2

Regular Expression: r.*?
First match:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
All matches:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Case 3

Regular Expression: r.+
First match:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
All matches:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Case 4

Regular Expression: r.+?
First match:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
All matches:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Case 5

Regular Expression: r.?
First match:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
All matches:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Case 6

Regular Expression: r.??
First match:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
All matches:One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them