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Pattern vs Backreference - What's the difference?

pattern | backreference |

In computing terms the difference between pattern and backreference

is that pattern is a text string containing wildcards, used for matching while backreference is an item in a regular expression equivalent to the text matched by an earlier pattern in the expression.

As nouns the difference between pattern and backreference

is that pattern is model, example while backreference is an item in a regular expression equivalent to the text matched by an earlier pattern in the expression.

As verbs the difference between pattern and backreference

is that pattern is to apply a pattern while backreference is to access (the text matched by an earlier pattern in a regular expression).

pattern

Noun

(en noun)
  • Model, example.
  • # Something from which a copy is made; a model or outline.
  • #* 1923 , ‘President Wilson’, Time , 18 Jun 1923:
  • There is no reason why all colleges and universities should be cut to the same pattern .
  • # Someone or something seen as an example to be imitated; an exemplar.
  • #* 1946 , Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy , I.16:
  • The Platonic Socrates was a pattern to subsequent philosophers for many ages.
  • #
  • #
  • # A representative example.
  • # (US) The material needed to make a piece of clothing.
  • # (textiles) The paper or cardboard template from which the parts of a garment are traced onto fabric prior to cutting out and assembling.
  • # (metalworking, dated) A full-sized model around which a mould of sand is made, to receive the melted metal. It is usually made of wood and in several parts, so as to be removed from the mould without damage.
  • # (computing) A text string containing wildcards, used for matching.
  • There were no files matching the pattern *.txt.
  • Decorative arrangement.
  • # A design, motif or decoration, especially formed from regular repeated elements.
  • #* 2003 , Valentino, ‘Is there a future in fashion's past?’, Time , 5 Feb 2003:
  • On my way to work the other day, I stopped at a church in Rome and saw a painting of the Madonna. The subtle pattern of blues and golds in the embroidery of her dress was so amazing that I used it to design a new evening dress for my haute couture.
  • # A naturally-occurring or random arrangement of shapes, colours etc. which have a regular or decorative effect.
  • #* 2011 , Rachel Cooke, The Observer , 19 Jun 2011:
  • He lifted the entire joint or fowl up into the air, speared on a carving fork, and sliced pieces off it so that they fell on the plate below in perfectly organised patterns .
  • # The given spread, range etc. of shot fired from a gun.
  • # A particular sequence of events, facts etc. which can be understood, used to predict the future, or seen to have a mathematical, geometric, statistical etc. relationship.
  • #* 1980 , ‘Shifting Targets’, Time , 6 Oct 1980:
  • The three killings pointed to an ugly new shift in the enduring pattern of violence in Northern Ireland: the mostly Protestant Ulster police, or those suspected of affiliation with them, have become more prominent targets for the I.R.A. than the British troops.
  • #* 2003 , Kate Hudson, The Guardian , 14 Aug 2003:
  • Look again at how the US and its allies behaved then, and the pattern is unmistakable.
  • # (linguistics) An intelligible arrangement in a given area of language.
  • Synonyms

    * original (1) * stencil (1) * tessellation (2) * category (3) * cycle (4) * similarity (5) * See also

    Antonyms

    * antipattern

    Derived terms

    * design pattern

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to apply a pattern
  • To make or design (anything) by, from, or after, something that serves as a pattern; to copy; to model; to imitate.
  • * Sir T. Herbert
  • [A temple] patterned from that which Adam reared in Paradise.
  • to follow an example
  • *
  • to fit into a pattern
  • To serve as an example for.
  • Synonyms

    * model * categorize (2)

    backreference

    English

    Alternative forms

    * back-reference

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (computing) An item in a regular expression equivalent to the text matched by an earlier pattern in the expression.
  • * 2003 , Rob Brooks-Bilson, Programming ColdFusion MX
  • The third part of the regular expression, \1, is the backreference and tells ColdFusion to refer back to the first subexpression
  • * 2005 , Ivan Ristic, Apache security
  • Path traversal occurs when directory backreferences are used in a path to gain access to the parent folder of a subfolder.

    Verb

    (backreferenc)
  • (computing) To access (the text matched by an earlier pattern in a regular expression).
  • * 2009 , Larry Ullman, Ruby: Visual QuickStart Guide (page 237)
  • By wrapping it in parentheses, the attributes can be reused by backreferencing this part of the pattern
  • * 2012 , Tom Christiansen, brian d foy(SIC), Larry Wall, Programming Perl (page 46)
  • It doesn't change what the part matches, so /\d+/ and /(\d+)/ will still match as many digits as possible, but in the latter case they will be remembered in a special variable to be backreferenced later.