Improve Regular Expressions

Regular expressions or regexp, is a simple yet powerful function that could be added in an Ajax application. With regexp developers could build a powerful search engine within the application. With this function the search engine could execute faster and be more precise. Usually, developers could just place a simple search function within the Ajax applicantion but it is not optimized since the search results is not that interactive with the user. With regexp, developers could build a search engine that will not only associate with the letters encoded but also for other words that tends to be recognized with the original word search.

As you may have already noticed, this function is a little bit complicated that it could lower the performance of an Ajax application. But when optimized, it could work just like simple search engines or maybe even faster if the database is smaller.

Here are the four things you should do to ensure that the function optimized in the application:

1. Never use a constructor – One of the easiest ways of building regexp is to use a regexp constructor. Developers will reduce time and resources when they use this great tool. Although this tool is great in itself, it will do no good in building regexp in an Ajax application. Since it will be automatically loaded in the application, the actual coding of regexp will never be reconfigured or optimized for Ajax. Developing regexp will take time and resources but it is worth it considering the increased speed and efficiency it could offer.

2. Limited use of test method – Test will always be a part of developers coding since it will give the developer an idea if the actual coding of the application will work as expected. In regexp, caution has to be taken when using test method. Test method should only be limited what it should be – a test. Anything, such as executing the application using test, should never be done.

3. Non-capturing groups – Non capturing groups in regexp is very useful since the information that will be loaded from these groups could be easily expanded. If you are working with a database intensive application, non-capturing groups could expand its scope so that more search results will be displayed to the user. But again, caution has to be done in building the regexp with non-capturing groups. Although it could provide more search results, the search results might not be relative at all.

4. Keep it simple – Regexp is a little bit difficult and that does not mean you have to place a very difficult regexp component in your application. Regexp could easily execute within the application when the entire information is laid out. Simplifying regexp will ensure that it will execute fast in an optimized manner for the Ajax application. The challenge though is in over-simplification. Regexp is still an application that requires time so before it could be even loaded.

Regexp is actually a very challenging component for an Ajax application. But when properly coded, it becomes an important element of the application that contributes to the efficiency of the application.