# Ant-Style Path Patterns

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## According to Apache Ant™ Manual

> Patterns look very much like the patterns used in DOS and UNIX:
>
> "**`*`**" matches **zero or more characters**, "**`?`**" matches **one character**.
>
> In general, patterns are considered relative paths, relative to a task dependent base directory (the `dir` attribute in the case of `<fileset>`). Only files found below that base directory are considered. So while a pattern like `../foo.java` is possible, it will not match anything when applied since the base directory's parent is never scanned for files.
>
> ###### Examples
>
> - `*.java` matches `.java`, `x.java` and `FooBar.java`, but not ~~`FooBar.xml`~~ (does not end with `.java`).
> - `?.java` matches `x.java`, `A.java`, but not ~~`.java`~~ or ~~`xyz.java`~~ (both don't have one character before `.java`).
>
> Combinations of "`*`"'s and "`?`"'s are allowed.
>
> Matching is done per-directory. This means that first the first directory in the pattern is matched against the first directory in the path to match. Then the second directory is matched, and so on. For example, when we have the pattern `/?abc/*/*.java` and the path `/xabc/foobar/test.java`, the first `?abc` is matched with `xabc`, then `*` is matched with `foobar`, and finally `*.java` is matched with `test.java`. They all match, so the path matches the pattern.
>
> To make things a bit more flexible, we add one extra feature, which makes it possible to match multiple directory levels. This can be used to match a complete directory tree, or a file anywhere in the directory tree. To do this, "**`**`**" must be used as the name of a directory. When `**` is used as the name of a directory in the pattern, it matches **zero or more directories**. For example: `/test/**` matches all files/directories under `/test/`, such as `/test/x.java`, or `/test/foo/bar/xyz.html`, but not ~~`/xyz.xml`~~.
>
> There is one "shorthand": if a pattern ends with "`/`" or "`\`", then "`**`" is appended. For example, `mypackage/test/` is interpreted as if it were `mypackage/test/**`.
>
> ###### Example Patterns
>
> - **`**/CVS/*`**
> Matches all files in `CVS` directories that can be located anywhere in the directory tree.
> - ✅`CVS/Repository`
> - ✅`org/apache/CVS/Entries`
> - ✅`org/apache/jakarta/tools/ant/CVS/Entries`
> - ❌`org/apache/CVS/foo/bar/Entries` (~~`foo/bar/`~~ part does not match)
> - **`org/apache/jakarta/**`**
> Matches all files in the `org/apache/jakarta` directory tree.
> - ✅`org/apache/jakarta/tools/ant/docs/index.html`
> - ✅`org/apache/jakarta/test.xml`
> - ❌`org/apache/xyz.java` (~~`jakarta/`~~ part is missing)
> - **`org/apache/**/CVS/*`**
> Matches all files in `CVS` directories that are located anywhere in the directory tree under `org/apache`.
> - ✅`org/apache/CVS/Entries`
> - ✅`org/apache/jakarta/tools/ant/CVS/Entries`
> - ❌`org/apache/CVS/foo/bar/Entries` (~~`foo/bar/`~~ part does not match)
> - **`**/test/**`**
> Matches all files that have a `test` element in their path, including `test` as a filename.
>
> When these patterns are used in inclusion and exclusion, you have a powerful way to select just the files you want.

### Reference

- [Directory-based Tasks (Apache Ant&#8482; Manual)](https://ant.apache.org/manual/dirtasks.html)

## According to Spring Framework API (JavaDoc)

> The mapping matches URLs using the following rules:
>
> - **`?`** matches **one character**
> - **`*`** matches **zero or more characters**
> - **`**`** matches **zero or more directories** in a path
> - **`{spring:[a-z]+}`** matches the regexp **`[a-z]+`** as a path variable named "`spring`"
>
> ###### Examples
>
> - **`com/t?st.jsp`** — matches `com/test.jsp` but also `com/tast.jsp` or `com/txst.jsp`
> - **`com/*.jsp`** — matches all `.jsp` files in the `com` directory
> - **`com/**/test.jsp`** — matches all `test.jsp` files underneath the com path
> - **`org/springframework/**/*.jsp`** — matches all `.jsp` files underneath the `org/springframework` path
> - **`org/**/servlet/bla.jsp`** — matches `org/springframework/servlet/bla.jsp` but also `org/springframework/testing/servlet/bla.jsp` and `org/servlet/bla.jsp`
> - **`com/{filename:\\w+}.jsp`** will match `com/test.jsp` and assign the value test to the `filename` variable

### Reference

- [AntPathMatcher (Spring Framework API)](https://docs.spring.io/spring-framework/docs/current/javadoc-api/org/springframework/util/AntPathMatcher.html)