Regex to Match a Markdown Link
Copy the pattern, paste your Markdown below, and watch it highlight every inline link. Below the tester: how the two capture groups give you text and URL.
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What this pattern matches
This matches a Markdown inline link and captures the link text in group 1 and the URL in group 2.
How it works, part by part
\[([^\]]+)\] — the square brackets and the text inside (group 1).
\(([^)]+)\) — the parentheses and the URL inside (group 2).
Limitations
It does not handle titles like [text](url "title") as a separate group, nested brackets, or reference-style links [text][ref]. It covers the common inline case.
FAQ
How do I get the text and URL separately?
Use the capture groups: group 1 is the text, group 2 is the URL.
Does it match reference-style links?
No. This matches inline [text](url) links only, not [text][ref] style.