MySQL regexp_replace() Function

The MySQL does not have a built-in REGEXP_REPLACE() function for regular expression-based string replacement. However, you can achieve the same functionality using a combination of other MySQL functions and the REGEXP operator.

To replace a pattern with a new value using regular expressions in MySQL, you can use the CONCAT(), SUBSTRING(), and REGEXP functions. Here’s an example of how you can perform a regular expression-based replacement:

Suppose you have a table named text_data with a column named content, and you want to replace all occurrences of the word “old” with “new” in the content column:

SELECT
  IF(content REGEXP 'old', 
     CONCAT(
       SUBSTRING(content, 1, REGEXP_INSTR(content, 'old') - 1),
       'new',
       SUBSTRING(content, REGEXP_INSTR(content, 'old') + LENGTH('old'))
     ),
     content
  ) AS replaced_content
FROM text_data;

In this query:

• We use the REGEXP operator to check if the pattern 'old' is present in the content column.
• If a match is found, we use the CONCAT() function to concatenate the part of the string before the matched pattern, the replacement string 'new', and the part of the string after the matched pattern.
• We use the SUBSTRING() function to extract the parts of the string before and after the matched pattern.

This query will replace all occurrences of “old” with “new” and return the result as replaced_content.

Please note that while this approach allows for regular expression-based replacements, it can be complex for more advanced replacements. Also, MySQL’s features and functions may have evolved since my last update, so it’s a good idea to consult the official MySQL documentation for the latest information on available functions and features.