How to check if the input string is a valid Regular expression?

Question

How do you check, in JavaScript, if a string is a proper regular expression that will compile?

For example, when you execute the following javascript, it produces a

Answer 1

The question is solved, but if someone needs to define is the string either valid RegExp or not a RegExp at all.

You can use new Function() and templating inside of the function body with try ... catch and new RegExp() as mentioned earlier.

There is a snippet with the explanations:

const isRegExp = (string) => {
    try {
        return new Function(`
            "use strict";
            try {
                new RegExp(${string});
                return true;
            } catch (e) {
                return false;
            }
        `)();
    } catch(e) {
        return false;
    }
};

// Here the argument 'simplyString' shall be undefined inside of the function
// Function(...) catches the error and returns false
console.log('Is RegExp valid:', isRegExp('simplyString'));

// Here the argument shall cause a syntax error
// isRegExp function catches the error and returns false
console.log('Is RegExp valid:', isRegExp('string which is not a valid regexp'));

// Here the argument is not a valid RegExp, new RegExp(...) throws an error
// Function(...) catches the error and returns false
console.log('Is RegExp valid:', isRegExp('abc ([a-z]+) ([a-z]+))'));

// Valid RegExp, passed as a string
console.log('Is RegExp valid:', isRegExp('/^[^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]$/'));

// Valid RegExp, passed as a RegExp object
console.log('Is RegExp valid:', isRegExp(/^[^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]$/));

// Howewer, the code injection is possible here
console.log('Is RegExp valid:', isRegExp(');console.log("This is running inside of the Function(...) as well"'));