---
title: "matches"
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/PSCONF/15303161/matches"
format: markdown
---
> Macro (aura-html)

> Macro (table-plus)
> 
> |  |  |  |  |
> | --- | --- | --- | --- |
> | **Syntax** | matches(string, regex) | **Package** |  |
> | **Alias** |  | **Pkg Usage** |  |

## Description

> Macro (excerpt)
> 
> Returns "true" if character expression string matches the regular expression regex.

Returns "true" if character expression string matches the regular expression regex.

## Parameters

> Macro (table-plus)
> 
> | Parameter name | Type | Required | Description |
> | --- | --- | --- | --- |
> | string | String | Yes | Specifies a character expression to match the regex against. |
> | regex | String | Yes | Specifies a regular expression to match the specified string. |

## Return Type

**Boolean (true/false)**

## Examples

### Example 1

```javascript
wret = matches("This will return ?", ".*will.*");
print("Return " + wret);
```

Matches any string containing "will". Prints **Return true**

### Example 2

```javascript
wret = matches("This will return ?", "will");
print("Return " + wret);
```

Matches only the string "will ". Prints **Return false **

### Example 3

```javascript
wret = matches("This will return ?", ".*will[^\?]*\?");
print("Return " + wret);
```

Matches any string containing "will" and ending with a question mark. Prints **Return true**

  


> ⚠️ - As shown in Example 3, use double backslash (\) instead of a single backslash where needed.
> ⚠️ - For more information on regular expressions, see [Oracle documentation](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/regex/Pattern.html).

  


## See also

> Macro (contentbylabel)