In theoretical computer science and formal language theory, a regular language is a formal language that can be expressed using a regular expression. Note that the "regular expression" features provided with many programming languages are augmented with features that make them capable of recognizing languages that can not be expressed by the formal regular expressions (as formally defined below).
In the Chomsky hierarchy, regular languages are defined to be the languages that are generated by Type-3 grammars (regular grammars). Regular languages are very useful in input parsing and programming language design.
Read more about Regular Language: Formal Definition, Equivalence To Other Formalisms, Closure Properties, Deciding Whether A Language Is Regular, Complexity Results, Subclasses, The Number of Words in A Regular Language, Generalizations
Famous quotes containing the words regular and/or language:
“A regular council was held with the Indians, who had come in on their ponies, and speeches were made on both sides through an interpreter, quite in the described mode,—the Indians, as usual, having the advantage in point of truth and earnestness, and therefore of eloquence. The most prominent chief was named Little Crow. They were quite dissatisfied with the white man’s treatment of them, and probably have reason to be so.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“This is an approach to that universal language which men have sought in vain.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)