# What is a Regular Expression?

A Regular Expression is a special type of formula, or pattern, which is designed to match a particular sequence of characters.

An example of a regular expression is "B.*n". This matches:

Brun
Brown
Bun
Bon

and many other strings.

Regular expressions are used in Inaport to define filters and transforms, and provide remarkable power when used correctly.

For more information about regular expressions, see:

Introduction to Regular Expressions

Regular Expression Syntax

Using Regular Expressions

Regular Expression Examples

Also, see the tutorial: Splitting the Name Field for a detailed discussion of how to take input like "Mr John Smith" and split it into First Name, Last Name, Dear, and Contact using regular expressions.