Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

RegexBuddy VS Recoll

Compare RegexBuddy VS Recoll and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

RegexBuddy logo RegexBuddy

RegexBuddy is your perfect companion for working with regular expressions.

Recoll logo Recoll

Recoll is a desktop full-text search tool. Recoll finds keywords inside documents as well as file names.
  • RegexBuddy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-02
  • Recoll Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-21

RegexBuddy features and specs

  • Comprehensive Regex Tester
    RegexBuddy provides a robust platform for testing and debugging regular expressions. It allows users to interactively create and test regex patterns, highlighting matches and errors in real-time.
  • Built-in Library
    It comes with a built-in library of common regex patterns, which can save time by allowing users to start with pre-built expressions and adjust them to fit their needs.
  • Tutorials and Learning Tools
    RegexBuddy offers extensive tutorials and guides that help beginners and experienced users alike to understand and master regular expressions.
  • Compatibility
    The tool supports a wide range of regex flavors, making it versatile for different programming languages and applications.
  • Export Features
    Users can easily export their regex patterns and test data into various formats, which simplifies the sharing and documentation of their work.

Possible disadvantages of RegexBuddy

  • Cost
    RegexBuddy is not a free tool; it requires a paid license to use, which might not be suitable for users looking for a no-cost solution.
  • Windows-Only
    RegexBuddy is primarily available for Windows, which limits its accessibility for users on macOS or Linux without using additional compatibility software.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, RegexBuddy might still be overwhelming for complete beginners due to the complexity of regular expressions themselves.
  • Limited Integration
    The tool does not offer deep integration with popular integrated development environments (IDEs) directly, which could inconvenience users wanting seamless workflows.
  • Occasional Overhead
    For very casual or infrequent regex users, the tool’s extensive features might be more than necessary, rendering it somewhat of an overkill.

Recoll features and specs

  • Comprehensive Indexing
    Recoll can index a wide variety of file types and contents, including emails, documents, and multimedia files. This makes it highly versatile for different data indexing needs.
  • Highly Customizable
    Users can tweak Recoll to meet their specific needs, from defining indexing rules to configuring the GUI settings. This level of customization allows for personalized usage.
  • Powerful Search Capabilities
    It provides advanced search features such as Boolean searches, phrase searches, and filtering by file type or date, which help users find exactly what they are looking for quickly.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    Recoll is available on multiple operating systems including Linux, Windows, and macOS, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, it allows users to view the source code and contribute to its development. It also means there are no licensing fees associated with its use.
  • Support for Multiple Languages
    Recoll supports multiple languages, which makes it a suitable choice for international users.

Possible disadvantages of Recoll

  • Resource Intensive
    The indexing process can be resource-intensive, consuming significant CPU and memory, particularly when handling large datasets.
  • Complex Setup
    Initial setup and configuration can be complex and may require a good understanding of its settings and features, which may not be user-friendly for beginners.
  • User Interface
    While functional, the user interface is considered less modern and may not be as intuitive or visually appealing as some commercial alternatives.
  • Limited Customer Support
    As an open-source project, customer support is primarily community-driven, which may not be as reliable or fast as professional support services.
  • Frequent Updates
    While frequent updates can be beneficial, they may also require users to frequently update their installations and adapt to changes, which can be inconvenient.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    Recoll has limited support for mobile platforms, which may be an important consideration for users who need cross-platform, mobile-friendly access.

RegexBuddy videos

Regular Expressions deciphered using RegexBuddy, Regexpal and rexv.org

More videos:

  • Review - Regexbuddy! very nice tool

Recoll videos

DEF CON 25 Recon Village - Dakota Nelson -Total Recoll

More videos:

  • Review - Tutorial RECOLL
  • Review - Ubuntu Total "Recoll" - HDD Volltextsuche

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to RegexBuddy and Recoll)
Regular Expressions
100 100%
0% 0
File Manager
0 0%
100% 100
Programming Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Clipboard Manager
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using RegexBuddy and Recoll. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, RegexBuddy seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

RegexBuddy mentions (1)

  • Learn RegEx step by step, from zero to advanced
    At first glance this looks like software that’s a bit dated and nothing special, but try to use it just once and tell me if you don’t agree it’s freaking awesome when do you want to create an expression or get a feel for exactly how it’s working. I have no affiliation with these guys, I’ve just been impressed over the years https://regexbuddy.com. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

Recoll mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Recoll yet. Tracking of Recoll recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing RegexBuddy and Recoll, you can also consider the following products

RegExr - RegExr.com is an online tool to learn, build, and test Regular Expressions.

DocFetcher - DocFetcher is a portable German/English open source desktop search application.

regular expressions 101 - Extensive regex tester and debugger with highlighting for PHP, PCRE, Python and JavaScript.

Everything by Voidtools - Everything. Locate files and folders by name instantly. Everything. Small installation file. Clean and simple user interface.

RegexMagic - Use RegexMagic to generate complete regular expressions to your specifications by using RegexMagic's flexible patterns, instead of the cryptic regex syntax.

Agent Ransack - Agent Ransack is a tool for finding files and information on your hard drive fast and efficiently.