# matcher > Simple [wildcard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcard_character) matching Useful when you want to accept loose string input and regexes/globs are too convoluted. ## Install ```sh npm install matcher ``` ## Usage ```js import {matcher, isMatch} from 'matcher'; matcher(['foo', 'bar', 'moo'], ['*oo', '!foo']); //=> ['moo'] matcher(['foo', 'bar', 'moo'], ['!*oo']); //=> ['bar'] matcher('moo', ['']); //=> [] matcher('moo', []); //=> [] matcher([''], ['']); //=> [''] isMatch('unicorn', 'uni*'); //=> true isMatch('unicorn', '*corn'); //=> true isMatch('unicorn', 'un*rn'); //=> true isMatch('rainbow', '!unicorn'); //=> true isMatch('foo bar baz', 'foo b* b*'); //=> true isMatch('unicorn', 'uni\\*'); //=> false isMatch(['foo', 'bar'], 'f*'); //=> true isMatch(['foo', 'bar'], ['a*', 'b*']); //=> true isMatch('unicorn', ['']); //=> false isMatch('unicorn', []); //=> false isMatch([], 'bar'); //=> false isMatch([], []); //=> false isMatch('', ''); //=> true ``` ## API It matches even across newlines. For example, `foo*r` will match `foo\nbar`. ### matcher(inputs, patterns, options?) Accepts a string or an array of strings for both `inputs` and `patterns`. Returns an array of `inputs` filtered based on the `patterns`. ### isMatch(inputs, patterns, options?) Accepts a string or an array of strings for both `inputs` and `patterns`. Returns a `boolean` of whether any of given `inputs` matches all the `patterns`. #### inputs Type: `string | string[]` The string or array of strings to match. #### options Type: `object` ##### caseSensitive Type: `boolean`\ Default: `false` Treat uppercase and lowercase characters as being the same. Ensure you use this correctly. For example, files and directories should be matched case-insensitively, while most often, object keys should be matched case-sensitively. ```js import {isMatch} from 'matcher'; isMatch('UNICORN', 'UNI*', {caseSensitive: true}); //=> true isMatch('UNICORN', 'unicorn', {caseSensitive: true}); //=> false isMatch('unicorn', ['tri*', 'UNI*'], {caseSensitive: true}); //=> false ``` ##### allPatterns Type: `boolean`\ Default: `false` Require all negated patterns to not match and any normal patterns to match at least once. Otherwise, it will be a no-match condition. ```js import {matcher} from 'matcher'; // Find text strings containing both "edge" and "tiger" in arbitrary order, but not "stunt". const demo = (strings) => matcher(strings, ['*edge*', '*tiger*', '!*stunt*'], {allPatterns: true}); demo(['Hey, tiger!', 'tiger has edge over hyenas', 'pushing a tiger over the edge is a stunt']); //=> ['tiger has edge over hyenas'] ``` ```js import {matcher} from 'matcher'; matcher(['foo', 'for', 'bar'], ['f*', 'b*', '!x*'], {allPatterns: true}); //=> ['foo', 'for', 'bar'] matcher(['foo', 'for', 'bar'], ['f*'], {allPatterns: true}); //=> [] ``` #### patterns Type: `string | string[]` Use `*` to match zero or more characters. A leading `!` negates the pattern. An input string will be omitted, if it does not match any non-negated patterns present, or if it matches a negated pattern, or if no pattern is present. ## Benchmark ```sh npm run bench ``` ## Related - [matcher-cli](https://github.com/sindresorhus/matcher-cli) - CLI for this module - [multimatch](https://github.com/sindresorhus/multimatch) - Extends `minimatch.match()` with support for multiple patterns ---