Re:You can't parse XML with regex. Let's do it anyways
by ok123456 on Sunday October 05, 2025 @12:27AM
(#45478839)
Can regular expressions parse XML: No.
Can regular expressions parse the subset of XML that I need to pull something out of a document: Maybe.
We have enough library "ergonomics" now that it's not any more difficult to use a regex vs a full XML parser now in dynlangs. Back when this wasn't the case, it really did mean the differnce between a one or two line solution, and about 300 lines of SAX boiler-pate.
Can regular expressions parse the subset of XML that I need to pull something out of a document: Maybe.
We have enough library "ergonomics" now that it's not any more difficult to use a regex vs a full XML parser now in dynlangs. Back when this wasn't the case, it really did mean the differnce between a one or two line solution, and about 300 lines of SAX boiler-pate.