How can PHP developers effectively test and experiment with regular expressions before implementing them in code?

To effectively test and experiment with regular expressions before implementing them in code, PHP developers can use online regex testing tools such as regex101.com or regexr.com. These tools allow developers to input their regular expression pattern and test it against sample text to see if it matches the desired patterns. Additionally, developers can use PHP functions like preg_match() or preg_match_all() to test their regular expressions within their code before final implementation.

$pattern = "/[0-9]+/";
$text = "The code is 12345";
if (preg_match($pattern, $text)) {
    echo "Pattern matched!";
} else {
    echo "Pattern not matched!";
}