enhex 0.3.0

EnhEx - Enhanced Expression. Write readable patterns, get Regex.

EnhEx: Enhanced Expression

Regex, Enhanced for Readability.

EnhEx is a simple, readable language for writing regular expressions. Write patterns like sentences. Get standard Regex output. Use it anywhere — Python, JavaScript, Rust, CLI, browser.

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Why EnhEx?

Regex is powerful but painfully unreadable. After a few months, even your own patterns look like alien code.

EnhEx fixes this:

• Write patterns in a clean, human-readable syntax
• Compile to standard Regex that works everywhere
• One core, written in Rust, compiled to WASM — runs identically in every language

Language Support Status:

• Rust: ✅ Native
• Python: ✅ enhex at PyPI with WASM
• JavaScript: ✅ enhexjs at NPM with WASM

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Quick Example

EnhEx Input

start + one_or_more(word_char | dot | dash) + "@" + one_or_more(word_char | dash) + dot + tld() + end

Regex Output

^[\w\.-]+@[\w-]+\.[a-z]{2,10}$

Same logic, but you can actually read the first one.

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Installation

Python

pip install enhex

Rust

cargo install enhex-core

JavaScript / TypeScript

npm install enhexjs

CLI (via Python)

pip install enhex
enhex compile "start + one_or_more(digit) + end"
# Output: ^\d+$

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Usage

Python

import enhex as ex

# Compile a pattern string
pattern = ex.compile('start + one_or_more(digit) + end')

# Compile from a .enhex file
phone_pattern = ex.compile_file('phone.enhex')

# Use with standard re module
import re
if re.match(pattern, "367812009"):
    print("Valid number!")

JavaScript

import { compile } from 'enhexjs';

const pattern = compile('start + one_or_more(digit) + end');
const regex = new RegExp(pattern);

if (regex.test('12345')) {
    console.log('Only digits!');
}

// Or automatic RegExp creation:
const re = compileRegExp('start + one_or_more(digit) + end');

if (re.test('12345')) {
    console.log('Only digits!');
}

Rust

use enhex_core::compile;

let pattern = compile("start + one_or_more(digit) + end").unwrap();
let re = regex::Regex::new(&pattern).unwrap();

assert!(re.is_match("12345"));

CLI

# Compile a pattern string
enhex compile 'start + exactly(10, digit) + end'

# Compile a .enhex file
enhex compile phone.enhex

# Show version
enhex version

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Syntax Overview

Atoms (Basic Building Blocks)

EnhEx	Description	Regex Equivalent
digit	Any digit 0-9	\d
word_char	Letter, digit, or underscore	\w
whitespace	Space, tab, or newline	\s
lowercase	Lowercase letters a-z	[a-z]
uppercase	Uppercase letters A-Z	[A-Z]
letter	Any letter	[a-zA-Z]
anything	Any character	.
dot	Literal dot	\.
dash	Literal dash	\-
tab	Literal tab	\t
newline	Literal newline	\n
hex_digit	Single hex digit (upper or lower)	[\da-fA-F]

Quantifiers

EnhEx	Regex Equivalent
one_or_more(X)	X+
zero_or_more(X)	X*
optional(X)	X?
exactly(N, X)	X{N}
at_least(N, X)	X{N,}
between(N, M, X)	X{N,M}
one_or_more_lazy(X)	X+?
zero_or_more_lazy(X)	X*?
optional_lazy(X)	X??

Composition & Anchors

EnhEx	Meaning	Regex Equivalent
X + Y	X followed by Y	XY
X | Y	X or Y	X|Y
"text"	Literal text	escaped text
start	Start of string	^
end	End of string	$
word_boundary	Word boundary	\b

Groups

EnhEx	Regex Equivalent
group(X)	(X)
non_capturing(X)	(?:X)
named("name", X)	(?P<name>X)
not(X)	[^X]

Lookaround

EnhEx	Regex Equivalent
followed_by(X)	(?=X)
not_followed_by(X)	(?!X)
preceded_by(X)	(?<=X)
not_preceded_by(X)	(?<!X)

Backreferences

EnhEx	Regex Equivalent
backref(1)	\1
backref("name")	(?P=name)

Raw Regex Literal

EnhEx	Regex
regex("\\d{3}-\\d{4}")	\d{3}-\d{4}
/[\w\.-]+@[\w-]+\.[a-z]{2,10}/	[\w\.-]+@[\w-]+\.[a-z]{2,10}

Built-in Presets

EnhEx	Matches
tld()	Top-level domain (com, org, ir, ...)
email()	Full email address
url()	URL
ipv4()	IPv4 address

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File Format

EnhEx patterns are stored in .enhex files:

email.enhex:

start + one_or_more(word_char | dot | dash) + "@" + one_or_more(word_char | dash) + "." + tld() + end

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Project Structure

enhex/
├── core/          # Rust core engine
├── bindings/
│   ├── python/    # Python package
│   └── js/        # JavaScript/TypeScript package
├── examples/      # Example .enhex patterns
├── vscode/        # VSCode extension (coming soon)
├── playground/    # Web playground (coming soon)
├── SPEC.md        # Full language specification
└── README.md

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Roadmap

• Language specification
• Rust core engine + WASM
• Python binding
• CLI tool
• JavaScript/TypeScript binding
• VSCode extension (syntax highlighting + live preview)
• Web playground

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License

MIT © Mahan Khalili

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RegEx, Enhanced.