Regex Blaster

(mdp.github.io)

76 points | by mdp 2 days ago

13 comments

  • ks2048 3 hours ago
    Every vibe coded site is too dark and the text is too small.
    • mchaver 19 minutes ago
      I could envision the style even before clicking on the site.
    • PurpleRamen 31 minutes ago
      Maybe because it 1337 hackerman-style, or something.
    • mdp 2 hours ago
      This is fair, although I ask for it to be dark themed to match what I think was the style of typing game I remember growing up with (it's been a while). Bumped up the font though.
      • xnorswap 37 minutes ago
        Next time please ask it to respect system dark/light mode preference, it's trivial to do, especially for an LLM which can spin up light/dark alternatives easily.
        • NooneAtAll3 35 minutes ago
          no

          considering free windows being light theme only, it should be a button, not a "system default"

          • CamperBob2 13 minutes ago
            That's fine, too. Either way, give the user the choice.
      • btilly 55 minutes ago
        My top complaint is that if I've successfully used a pattern, I want my text removed. I keep forgetting to backspace a bunch, then get frustrated that my pattern isn't working.

        Other than that, great game!

    • christoph-heiss 1 hour ago
      And all the text is grey-on-grey and basically unreadable. Not to even mention accessibility.
    • progbits 2 hours ago
      They all have this rounded box design as well. I wonder where that came from, I don't think it was a predominant style before.
      • mrkramer 1 hour ago
        I vibe code web apps with Google's Gemini and I think it actually mimics Google's UI and UX because I see similarities between my vibe coded web apps and Google's web apps.
        • progbits 1 hour ago
          But that's a different style from the these colorful border rounded boxes that I think Claude in particular loves to produce.
    • flykespice 1 hour ago
      Every vibecoded site have this same dark look with shining hue-gradient borders, can't wait for the future the entire web be filled with this generic look
    • darkstar999 2 hours ago
      What evidence do you have that this is vibe coded?
      • flexagoon 58 minutes ago
        Because it looks exactly the same and feels as janky as 99% of vibecoded web apps
  • HanClinto 3 hours ago
    Nice game!

    We made a similar game several years ago for the Pyweek game competition, but there wasn't the fun "letter invaders" style that this one has.

    https://pyweek.org/e/RegExExpress/

    I really like your implementation!

    Might be good to limit some of the special operators to give more focus -- otherwise the early levels are a bit too solvable with ".*"

  • freedomben 2 hours ago
    Wow really cool! Genuinely fun, and educational at the same time.

    One usability request: after firing a regex, could the text box be cleared? It's not hard to hit Ctrl+A and start typing again, but it does add a bit of friction. (I can send a PR)

  • 1-more 1 hour ago
    I don't understand the first "combat" level. There's no real defining pattern separating the good from bad hex strings, so it's just a typing speed contest to type all the enemy patterns, right? What am I missing?
    • Andoryuuta 1 hour ago
      As far as I can tell, the first combat level enemies all start with "ALERT-" and have exactly 3 digits.
      • 1-more 33 minutes ago
        sorry, second combat level. It's all 6 digit hex color strings, some good some bad.
  • freedomben 2 hours ago
  • NooneAtAll3 36 minutes ago
    I wish it wasn't time-limited...
  • joshribakoff 52 minutes ago
    I cant even read this because most of the text is outside my phones viewport. Please test your stuff before posting it here.
  • mrkramer 2 hours ago
    This looks like something I would vibe code with Google's Gemini. Interesting concept.
  • JanisErdmanis 1 hour ago
    This is really funny ;D Gives Tetris vibes and is executed beautifully.
  • brew-hacker 3 hours ago
    Fun interactive game!
  • SilentM68 2 hours ago
    Cool idea! I shall give it a try :)
  • mdp 2 days ago
    TL;DR: I think you should still learn regex, even though AI has made it a "useless" skill

    https://mdp.github.io/2026/03/17/the-kids-are-alright-and-th...

    • m3galinux 3 hours ago
      Not so useless. In my experience LLMs are about 50/50 on making a regex that actually works and covers the cases you asked it for. Even less when you get into cases needing advanced features like backreferences and lookahead.
    • croes 3 hours ago
      A little bit early to tell.

      Let’s wait how affordable, available and good AI is when the companies turn to profit maximization and enshittification begins

  • neonsunset 2 hours ago
    [dead]