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Regex101 is an excellent general-purpose regex tester with detailed explanations and multiple flavor support. Payload Playground takes a different approach: 28 pre-built security patterns for API key detection, XSS, SQLi, path traversal, and more — with security context for each pattern. Built for pentesters and security engineers, not just developers.
You need support for PCRE, Python, Java, Go, or .NET regex flavors. Regex101's token-by-token explanation panel is unmatched for learning regex syntax, and its unit test feature helps validate patterns against multiple test strings simultaneously.
You need security-specific patterns ready to use. Payload Playground provides 28 real-world detection patterns — API keys, XSS vectors, SQL keywords, path traversal sequences — with explanations of what each detects and how to apply it in a WAF rule or SIEM detection.
| Feature | Payload Playground | Regex101 |
|---|---|---|
| Regex Testing & Matching | ||
| Supported Flavors | JavaScript/ECMAScript | 7 flavors (PCRE, Python, Go…) |
| Security-Focused Patterns | 28 built-in patterns | |
| API Key Detection Patterns | ||
| XSS / SQLi Detection Patterns | ||
| Path Traversal Detection | ||
| Security Context per Pattern | ||
| Regex Token Explanation Panel | ||
| Unit Test Support | ||
| 100% Client-Side Privacy | ||
| No Ads | Has ads (free tier) |
Start from real-world detection patterns instead of building from scratch. API key leakage, XSS event handlers, SQL keywords, path traversal, JWT tokens, IP ranges — all pre-built with security context.
Purpose-built for testing detection logic against attack strings. Paste XSS vectors, SQLi payloads, or traversal sequences and immediately see whether your regex catches them — or misses edge cases.
The security patterns are structured to translate directly into ModSecurity rules, NGINX deny lists, AWS WAF regex conditions, or Splunk/Elastic SIEM detection queries.
All regex matching runs entirely in your browser. Your test strings — which may contain sensitive payloads or proprietary patterns — never leave your machine.
28 security patterns — API keys, XSS, SQLi, traversal
Generate XSS vectors to test against your regex
SQL payloads to validate your detection patterns
Mutate payloads to find gaps in regex detection
XSS, SQLi, SSTI, SSRF, command injection, and more
Payload generation and security tools from the terminal