\D?\D matches any single character that is not an ASCII digit 0–9. It is the opposite of \d and equals [^0-9] in ordinary JavaScript regex.
\d → one digit (0–9)
\D → one non-digit (everything else)
\D+ → one or more non-digits
/\D/.test("123") → false
/\D/.test("a1") → true
" (555) ".replace(/\D/g, "") → "555"\DUse \D when you care about “not a digit” — detect it, extract it, or strip it away.
/\D/ to match one non-digit character.+, *) when you need a run of non-digits.g flag with replace or match to process every match.\d when you want digits; prefer \D when you want everything else.| Piece | Required? | Role |
|---|---|---|
\D in the pattern | Yes | Match one non-digit character |
| Quantifier | Optional | Repeat (\D+, \D*, \D{2}) |
g flag | Optional | Find or replace every non-digit |
Anchors ^ $ | Optional | Require the whole string to be non-digits |
pattern has "\D"
read next character ch from the string
if ch is digit '0'..'9':
fail this path
else:
accept ch as a non-digit match
common actions:
test(str) → true if any non-digit exists
match(/\D+/g) → non-digit runs
replace(/\D/g, "") → digits onlyKeep these facts handy while filtering digits and text.
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Any character except ASCII 0–9 |
| Equivalent | [^0-9] (default / without Unicode digit extras) |
| Opposite | \d = digit |
| One or more | \D+ |
| Strip formatting | str.replace(/\D/g, "") |
| Text-only check | /^\D+$/ |
| Standard | ES3+ (universal) |
Run common \D operations on sample strings.
Short, copy-ready snippets. Open DevTools Console, or use Try It Yourself for a live editor.
Return true when at least one letter, space, or symbol appears.
console.log(/\D/.test("123")); // false
console.log(/\D/.test("a1")); // true
console.log(/\D/.test("Order #42")); // true"123" has no non-digit, so /\D/ is false."a1", "a" matches \D → true.# in "Order #42" are non-digits too.test stops at the first match.Remove formatting characters from order codes and phone numbers.
const order = "Order #42";
console.log(order.replace(/\D/g, "")); // "42"
const phone = "(555) 123-4567";
console.log(phone.replace(/\D/g, "")); // "5551234567"/\D/g finds every non-digit in the string."" removes letters, spaces, and symbols."Order #42" becomes "42"; the phone becomes digits only.Pull letter and symbol runs from mixed alphanumeric text.
const mixed = "abc123def456";
console.log(mixed.match(/\D+/g)); // ["abc", "def"]
const price = "Price $19.99 today";
console.log(price.match(/\D+/g));
// ["Price $", ".", " today"]\D+ matches one or more consecutive non-digits."abc123def456", digit runs split the text into "abc" and "def".$, and . count as non-digits, so the price string yields three parts.g flag returns every run, not only the first.Check these before relying on \D in real projects.
\D is ASCII digits onlyWithout Unicode property escapes, “digit” means 0–9. Other numeral systems need \p{Nd} with the u flag on modern engines.
\D needs a character/\D/.test("") is false — there is nothing to match. Use /^\D*$/ if the empty string should pass.
new RegExp needs double escapingWrite new RegExp("\\D"). In a string pattern argument you need two backslashes.
\D is broader than “letters”Spaces, punctuation, and emoji all match. For letters only, prefer [a-zA-Z] or \p{L} with u.
The \D non-digit escape is core regex syntax (ES3+) and works everywhere JavaScript runs.
Supported in every modern and legacy browser, plus all Node.js versions. No polyfill required.
Bottom line: Safe to use in any JavaScript environment. Remember that default \D targets ASCII digits 0–9.
| Approach | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
/\D/.test(str) | O(n) | Quick “has non-digit?” checks |
str.replace(/\D/g, "") | O(n) | Digit-only cleanup |
str.match(/\D+/g) | O(n) | Extracting non-digit runs |
Character-class style matches are cheap. Prefer \d when you want digits directly, and \D when stripping or rejecting them is clearer.
\D matches one character that is not a digit 0–9.\d: digits vs everything else.replace(/\D/g, "") keeps digits only.\D ≈ [^0-9] in everyday JS regex.One line: \D means “not a digit” — detect it, extract runs with \D+, or strip it with replace(/\D/g, "").
Learn how the \S metacharacter matches any character that is not whitespace.
8 people found this page helpful