python re compile

import re
#	Compile a regular expression pattern into a regular expression object, which can be used for matching using its match(), search() and other methods, described below.

prog = re.compile(pattern)
result = prog.match(string)

#	is equivalent to

result = re.match(pattern, string)

import re
>>> m = re.search('(?<=abc)def', 'abcdef')
>>> m.group(0)
'def'

import re

result = re.sub(pattern, repl, string, count=0, flags=0);

>>> import re
>>> m = re.search('(?<=abc)def', 'abcdef')
>>> m.group(0)
'def'

  ## Search for pattern 'bb' in string 'aabbcc'.
  ## All of the pattern must match, but it may appear anywhere.
  ## On success, match.group() is matched text.
  match = re.search(r'bb', 'aabbcc') # found, match.group() == "bb"
  match = re.search(r'cd', 'aabbcc') # not found, match == None

  ## . = any char but \n
  match = re.search(r'...c', 'aabbcc') # found, match.group() == "abbc"

  ## \d = digit char, \w = word char
  match = re.search(r'\d\d\d', 'p123g') # found, match.group() == "123"
  match = re.search(r'\w\w\w', '@@abcd!!') # found, match.group() == "abc"