Java Regex: How to Match URL Path?

Question

I am trying to extract the first part of the path of a URL. For example: from http://foo.com/bar/1/2/3 I want to extract bar. Here is the code I am using:

private static String getFirstPartOfPath(String url)
{
    Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile("^https?://[^/]+/([^/]+)/*$");
    Matcher matcher = pattern.matcher(url);
    if(matcher.find())
    {
        System.out.println(matcher.group(1));
    }
    return null;
}

However, this does not match the most trivial url listed above, as in

public static void main(String[] args)
{
    getFirstPartOfPath("http://foo.com/bar/1/2/3");
}

prints nothing. At first glance the pattern string seems clear and like it should obviously work. What is going wrong?

anubhava · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-02 19:03:18Z

8

Not matching because your regex is not correct. You have /* in the end that is not same as /.*.

Use this regex:

Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile("^https?://[^/]+/([^/]+)/.*$");

Or remove anchor $:

Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile("^https?://[^/]+/([^/]+)/");

answered Jul 2, 2014 at 19:03

anubhava

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1 Comment

David Williams Over a year ago

Got it, thanks. I will accept when SO lets me in 9 min.

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