Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

Retest

github.com

Free plan Linux
Visit github.com
Spec score 7.6 #10 of 23 in Regular Expression Testers

What it is

Retest is a free, open-source terminal utility for developing and checking regular expressions on Linux. A subject string can be supplied as an argument or piped through standard input, so it can fit into shell workflows. Retest finds all non-crossing matches and highlights nested capture groups in colors distinct from the whole match. An optional formatted list shows match order and string indexes. Release 0.2.2 added a flag for reading the subject from a file. The project provides Linux release binaries, including a 64-bit Debian installer listed for release 0.2.2. Its README describes compiling from source with Cargo and installing through a Makefile. The source code and documentation are licensed under Apache License 2.0. The project presents Retest as a terminal-based alternative to regex101, for developers building and checking patterns. No paid plans or usage limits are listed.

Spec sheet

What it does
Retest is a terminal regular expression tester intended as a simple, quick utility for developing regular expressions.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Purpose
Retest is a terminal regular expression tester intended as a simple, quick utility for developing regular expressions.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Intended users
The README presents Retest as a developer utility for building and checking regular expressions in a terminal.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Support
The maintainer invites questions by email and asks users to include “retest” in the subject line.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
License
The source code and documentation are licensed under Apache License 2.0.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Build
The README describes compiling from source with Cargo and installing through a Makefile.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Feature requests
Users can suggest features by opening a GitHub issue or emailing the maintainer.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Feedback
Users can suggest features by opening a GitHub issue or emailing the maintainer.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
File input
The v0.2.2 release added a command flag to read a subject directly from a file.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Highlighting
It highlights nested capture groups in colors distinct from the whole match.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Input
A subject string can be piped to Retest through standard input or supplied as an argument.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Installation
The project provides Linux release binaries and instructions for compiling and installing from source with Cargo or Make.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Integration
Retest accepts input through standard input, so it can be used with shell pipes.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Linux downloads
The project provides Linux binaries for releases, and release 0.2.2 also lists a 64-bit Debian installer package.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Match list
An optional formatted list shows match order and string indexes.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Matches
It finds all non-crossing matches in the subject string.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Matching
Retest finds all non-crossing matches in the subject string.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Nested highlighting
Capture groups and subgroups are highlighted in different colors from the whole match.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com
Piping
It can read the subject string to match from standard input.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com
Use case
The README compares Retest to regex101, describing Retest as a terminal-based alternative.Read 4 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Free Free No paid plans or usage limits are listed Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Every Retest plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Accepts subject text through arguments or standard input.
  • Highlights nested capture groups distinctly.
  • Can list match order and string indexes.
  • Provides Linux binaries and source installation instructions.
  • Licensed under Apache License 2.0.

Limits

  • Available platform is Linux.
  • The workflow is terminal-based.
  • File input was added in release 0.2.2.

Who it suits

Retest suits developers who want to build and inspect regular expressions in a Linux terminal. Its standard input support also fits shell pipelines.

Verdict

Retest provides a focused terminal workflow for checking matches, capture groups, and string indexes. Linux binaries and source installation instructions are listed, and the project is open source.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to RetestAll alternatives →