Greedy quantifiers, Reluctant quantifiers, Possessive quantifiers

Greedy quantifiers
X?	X, once or not at all
X*	X, zero or more times
X+	X, one or more times
X{n}	X, exactly n times
X{n,}	X, at least n times
X{n,m}	X, at least n but not more than m times
Reluctant quantifiers
X??	X, once or not at all
X*?	X, zero or more times
X+?	X, one or more times
X{n}?	X, exactly n times
X{n,}?	X, at least n times
X{n,m}?	X, at least n but not more than m times
Possessive quantifiers
X?+	X, once or not at all
X*+	X, zero or more times
X++	X, one or more times
X{n}+	X, exactly n times
X{n,}+	X, at least n times
X{n,m}+	X, at least n but not more than m times

Groups and capturing

Capturing groups are numbered by counting their opening parentheses from left to right. In the expression ((A)(B(C))), for example, there are four such groups:

1	((A)(B(C)))
2	(A)
3	(B(C))
4	(C)

Group zero always stands for the entire expression.

Capturing groups are so named because, during a match, each subsequence of the input sequence that matches such a group is saved. The captured subsequence may be used later in the expression, via a back reference, and may also be retrieved from the matcher once the match operation is complete.

The captured input associated with a group is always the subsequence that the group most recently matched. If a group is evaluated a second time because of quantification then its previously-captured value, if any, will be retained if the second evaluation fails. Matching the string "aba" against the expression (a(b)?)+, for example, leaves group two set to "b". All captured input is discarded at the beginning of each match.

Groups beginning with (? are pure, non-capturing groups that do not capture text and do not count towards the group total.