Python regex to replace double backslash with single backslash

Question

I\'m trying to replace all double backslashes with just a single backslash. I want to replace \'class=\\\\\"highlight\' with \'class=\\\"highlight\'

Answer 1

why not use string.replace()?

>>> s = 'some \\\\ doubles'
>>> print s
some \\ doubles
>>> print s.replace('\\\\', '\\')
some \ doubles

Or with "raw" strings:

>>> s = r'some \\ doubles'
>>> print s
some \\ doubles
>>> print s.replace('\\\\', '\\')
some \ doubles

Since the escape character is complicated, you still need to escape it so it does not escape the '