Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

RegExr VS FILExt

Compare RegExr VS FILExt and see what are their differences

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RegExr logo RegExr

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

FILExt logo FILExt

Open, view and convert files online
  • RegExr Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-28
  • FILExt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-06-22

FILExt is one of the oldest and most respected collections of file formats and file extensions. Over the past 20 years, more than 50 million users have found the right information and tools to open any file on their computer or smartphone. Our knowledge gathered during this period is regularly reviewed and updated. Tom Simondi first provided this information in 2000 as a free online resource for the Internet community.

FILExt is committed to helping users to identify, access, open, view or convert unknown files. To this end we provide FILExt free to all computers and smartphone users. FILExt has been mentioned in many books over the years. It is used and recommended by experts around the world as a source of information about file extensions, including: from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, PC World, Lifehacker, Oracle and Microsoft.

RegExr features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    RegExr offers an intuitive and visually appealing interface that makes it easy for users to write, test, and understand regular expressions.
  • Real-time Feedback
    Changes to the regular expression and input text are reflected immediately, allowing users to see the effects of their adjustments in real-time.
  • Built-in Cheatsheet
    RegExr includes a handy cheatsheet that provides quick access to common regex patterns and syntax, making it easier for users to learn and reference rules.
  • Community Examples
    Users can explore and share community-generated regex patterns, which can serve as valuable examples or starting points for creating their own regex.
  • Detailed Explanation
    Each part of the regex pattern can be hovered over to display detailed tooltips explaining its function, aiding in the understanding of complex expressions.
  • Cross-Platform Accessibility
    As a web-based tool, RegExr can be accessed from any modern browser without the need for installation, making it convenient to use on multiple devices.

Possible disadvantages of RegExr

  • Limited Offline Use
    Since RegExr is a web-based application, it requires an internet connection, limiting its utility for users who need to work offline.
  • Learning Curve
    While the tool is user-friendly, users still need to have a foundational understanding of regular expressions to use RegExr effectively.
  • Performance Issues
    For extremely large inputs or very complex regular expressions, the tool may experience performance lags or slowdowns.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    RegExr may lack some advanced features found in more specialized or professional regex tools, such as integration with development environments or extensive scripting capabilities.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Users inputting sensitive data need to be cautious, as the web-based nature of the tool could raise privacy or data security concerns.

FILExt features and specs

  • Extensive Database
    FILExt offers a comprehensive database of file extensions and associated programs. This is useful for users who need to identify or understand specific file types.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The website features an easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible for users of all technical levels to find information about file extensions quickly.
  • Regularly Updated
    The database is regularly updated to include new file types and extensions, ensuring that users have access to the most current information.
  • Free Access
    FILExt provides this vast array of information for free, allowing users to access necessary data without any financial commitment.

Possible disadvantages of FILExt

  • Ads and Pop-ups
    The website features advertisements and pop-ups, which can distract from the user experience and detract from the information being sought.
  • Basic Information
    While FILExt provides essential details on file types and associated programs, it lacks in-depth technical documentation or troubleshooting advice.
  • Limited Community Interaction
    The platform does not offer much in terms of community interaction, such as forums or discussion boards, for users to engage in discussions or seek peer help.
  • Potential for Outdated Links
    Some program links or related information may become outdated over time, which can lead users to broken links or discontinued software.

Analysis of RegExr

Overall verdict

  • RegExr is widely regarded as an excellent tool for working with regular expressions due to its comprehensive feature set and ease of use.

Why this product is good

  • RegExr is considered a good tool for learning, creating, testing, and sharing regular expressions (regex). It offers a user-friendly interface, extensive documentation, real-time regex parsing, highlighting, and explanations, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users. The platform provides a library of community-contributed patterns and a robust set of tools that helps users understand and construct regex patterns effectively.

Recommended for

  • Beginners learning regular expressions.
  • Developers needing to test and refine regex patterns.
  • Educators teaching regex concepts.
  • Anyone requiring an intuitive interface to work with regular expressions.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to RegExr and FILExt)
Programming Tools
100 100%
0% 0
File Converter
0 0%
100% 100
Regular Expressions
100 100%
0% 0
Document Converter
0 0%
100% 100

Questions and Answers

As answered by people managing RegExr and FILExt.

What makes your product unique?

FILExt's answer:

FILExt.com is a specialized online resource that provides comprehensive information about file extensions and the software applications associated with them. What makes FILExt.com unique is its extensive and meticulously curated database of file extension information, which serves as a valuable tool for users trying to identify unknown file types or seeking compatible software to open specific files.

Key Features That Make FILExt.com Unique:

  1. Extensive Database: FILExt.com boasts one of the largest collections of file extension information available online, covering a wide range of file types across various platforms and industries.

  2. Detailed Information: Each entry includes detailed descriptions of the file type, its purpose, and the software programs that can open, edit, or convert the file, providing users with actionable information.

  3. User-Friendly Interface: The website is designed for easy navigation, allowing users to search for file extensions alphabetically or use a search function to find specific file types quickly.

  4. Regular Updates: The database is continually updated to include new file extensions and software applications, ensuring that the information remains current and relevant.

  5. Community Engagement: FILExt.com often incorporates user contributions, allowing individuals to submit new information or corrections, which helps maintain the accuracy and breadth of the database.

  6. Educational Resources: Beyond just listing file extensions, FILExt.com may offer articles and guides that educate users on how to handle different file types, troubleshoot issues, and understand the nuances of file compatibility.

By focusing exclusively on file extensions and their associated applications, FILExt.com provides a niche but essential service that assists users in navigating the complexities of various file formats, making it a unique and valuable resource on the internet.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

FILExt's answer:

FILExt.com provides a comprehensive and up-to-date database of file extensions with reliable information on how to open them, making it a user-friendly choice over its competitors.

How would you describe your primary audience?

FILExt's answer:

The primary audience of FILExt.com is users seeking information about unknown or unfamiliar file extensions, including how to open, use, or convert files with those extensions.

What's the story behind your product?

FILExt's answer:

FILExt was established in 2000 by Tom Simondi in California and is now based in the heart of Europe. In the 1990s, Tom Simondi worked mainly in computer support, sharing his knowledge with the Internet community. A single file extension page on 'Computer Knowledge' became particularly popular, because this website contained not only the appropriate description but also links to the software manufacturers. PC Magazine has selected Tom's file extension site as one of their Best 100 Undiscovered Sites. Microsoft became aware of this website and integrated it into Windows XP. When XP tried to open a file it did not know how to open it gave the user the option of choosing a local program or go to the Internet to find the answer. The second option resulted in Tom's file extension research page. Due to the great response to this single web page, FILExt.com was launched in 2001.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

FILExt's answer:

FILExt.com primarily uses Microsoft technologies like ASP.NET for its server-side scripting.

Who are some of the biggest customers of your product?

FILExt's answer:

Some of FILExt's biggest customers are Fortune Global 500 companies.

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare RegExr and FILExt

RegExr Reviews

We have no reviews of RegExr yet.
Be the first one to post

FILExt Reviews

  1. Great online tool to look into files

    Better than Apache Tika's File Analyzer. The Filext online viewer shows any text found in a uploaded files. thousands of file types are previewed.

    🏁 Competitors: FileInfo.com, Convertio

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, RegExr seems to be a lot more popular than FILExt. While we know about 368 links to RegExr, we've tracked only 2 mentions of FILExt. 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.

RegExr mentions (368)

  • Learning Perl - Regular Expressions
    Use Online Tools: There are many online regex testers and visualizers that can help you see how your patterns match against sample text. These tools often provide explanations for each part of the regex. I personally use https://regexr.com/. - Source: dev.to / about 21 hours ago
  • The importance of the environment in Regex pattern matching
    However - here it becomes weird - when testing the original regex rule (the first one, without the \u00A0 part) on the same string in an interactive visualiser (https://regexr.com/ for instance), there is a match:. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Ask HN: How did you learn Regex?
    Learned regex in the 90's from the Perl documentation, or possibly one of the oreilly perl references. That was a time where printed language references were more convenient than searching the internet. Perl still includes a shell component for accessing it's documentation, that was invaluable in those ancient times. Perl's regex documentation is rather fantastic. `perldoc perlre` from your terminal. Or... - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Ask HN: How did you learn Regex?
    I read a lot on https://www.regular-expressions.info and experimented on https://rubular.com since I was also learning Ruby at the time. https://regexr.com is another good tool that breaks down your regex and matches. One of the things I remember being difficult at the beginning was the subtle differences between implementations, like `^` meaning "beginning of line" in Ruby (and others) but meaning "beginning of... - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Ask HN: How did you learn Regex?
    Mostly building things that needed complex RegEx, and debugging my regular expressions with https://regexr.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
View more

FILExt mentions (2)

  • how do you open or use .bin files as in to edit the contents or something similar to that
    Use https://filext.com to determine what kind of file it is, because some extensions are used for multiple file types. For example it can be used on DVDs as part of an automatic launching, as a form of executable file refered to as Binaries as they are made up machine language binary info in Windows, or data files stored in raw binary on some other OS's or as a part of a portable app. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Need help decompiling AITD : The New Nightmare
    I can't figure out the ones without the filetype The VRM files are probably VR Model files, which you can learn more about here: https://vrm.dev/en/ Howeveer, the VRM files also say that they are gzip compressed, and I can't figure out anything about the the contents of that file. In general, this website, where you can upload the file and it will give you info on the file is a decent resource.... Source: about 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing RegExr and FILExt, you can also consider the following products

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

FileProInfo - It's All About Files, Software, Online Tools - 100% Free

rubular - A ruby based regular expression editor

Convertio - File Conversion in the Cloud

Expresso - The award-winning Expresso editor is equally suitable as a teaching tool for the beginning user of regular expressions or as a full-featured development environment for the experienced programmer with an extensive knowledge of regular expressions.

File-Extensions.org - Large computer file extension library with detailed explanation of each file type with links to download free or associated software programs.