rspec/rules/S6395/php/rule.adoc

Sub-patterns can be wrapped by parentheses to build a group. This enables to restrict alternations, back reference the group or apply quantifier to the sub-pattern.

If this group should not be part of the match result or if no reference to this group is required, a non-capturing group can be created by adding `:?` behind the opening parenthesis.

However, if this non-capturing group does not have a quantifier, or does not wrap an alternation, then imaging this group is redundant.

== Noncompliant Code Example

[source,php]
----
"(?:number)\d{2}"
----

== Compliant Solution

[source,php]
----
"number\d{2}"
"(?:number)?\d{2}"
----


== Exceptions

Do not report an issue if the non-capturing group is an alternation.
----
"(?:number|string)"
----

== See

https://www.php.net/manual/en/regexp.reference.subpatterns.php[Subpatterns] - PHP Documentation

ifdef::env-github,rspecator-view[]

'''
== Implementation Specification
(visible only on this page)

== Message

Unwrap this unnecessarily grouped subpattern.

== Highlighting

The entire non-capturing group.

'''

endif::env-github,rspecator-view[]