Windows findstr /r (regex) equivalent in Linux
Searches text using extended regular expressions for complex pattern matching.
findstr /r (regex)
grep -E
grep -E
grep -E
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "findstr /r (regex)" is used to search using extended regular expressions. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "grep -E". Searches text using extended regular expressions for complex pattern matching. This reference is grouped under Text Processing → Search.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows findstr /r (regex) maps to grep -E for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux command-line basics.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Search using extended regular expressions
Searches text using extended regular expressions for complex pattern matching.
grep -E 'pat1|pat2'
Match either pattern
grep -E '^[0-9]+'
Lines starting with digits
grep -oE '[0-9.]{7,15}'
Extract IP-like patterns
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
grep -E 'ERROR|WARN|CRIT' app.log
grep -oE '[0-9]{1,3}(\.[0-9]{1,3}){3}' access.log
grep -Ev '^#|^$' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: findstr /r "error\|warn" file.txt
# Match multiple patterns:
grep -E 'ERROR|WARN|CRIT' app.log
# Extract all IP addresses:
grep -oE '[0-9]{1,3}(\.[0-9]{1,3}){3}' access.log
# Config file without comments or blanks:
grep -Ev '^#|^$' /etc/ssh/sshd_configReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
grep -E 'pat1|pat2' | Match either pattern |
grep -E '^[0-9]+' | Lines starting with digits |
grep -oE '[0-9.]{7,15}' | Extract IP-like patterns |
grep -Ev '^#|^$' | Skip comment and blank lines |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "grep -E" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | grep -E |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | grep -E |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | grep -E |
Same command on this distribution. |
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