Fastest way to check if a string matches a regexp in ruby?

Question

What is the fastest way to check if a string matches a regular expression in Ruby?

My problem is that I have to \"egrep\" through a huge list of strings to find whic

Answer 1

To complete Wiktor Stribiżew and Dougui answers I would say that /regex/.match?("string") about as fast as "string".match?(/regex/).

Ruby 2.4.0 (10 000 000 ~2 sec)

2.4.0 > require 'benchmark'
 => true 
2.4.0 > Benchmark.measure{ 10000000.times { /^CVE-[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{4,}$/.match?("CVE-2018-1589") } }
 => # 
2.4.0 > Benchmark.measure{ 10000000.times { "CVE-2018-1589".match?(/^CVE-[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{4,}$/) } }
 => # 

Ruby 2.6.2 (100 000 000 ~20 sec)

irb(main):001:0> require 'benchmark'
=> true
irb(main):005:0> Benchmark.measure{ 100000000.times { /^CVE-[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{4,}$/.match?("CVE-2018-1589") } }
=> #
irb(main):004:0> Benchmark.measure{ 100000000.times { "CVE-2018-1589".match?(/^CVE-[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{4,}$/) } }
=> #

Note: times varies, sometimes /regex/.match?("string") is faster and sometimes "string".match?(/regex/), the differences maybe only due to the machine activity.