Replace only first match using preg_replace [duplicate]

Answer 1

The optional fourth parameter of preg_replace is limit:

preg_replace($search, $replace, $subject, 1);

Answer 2

You can use the limit argument of preg_replace for this and set it to 1 so that at most one replacement happens:

$new = preg_replace('/aaa/','replacement',$input,1);

Answer 3

for example, out $content is:

START 
FIRST AAA 
SECOND AAA

1) if you use:

$content = preg_replace('/START(.*)AAA/', 'REPLACED_STRING', $content);

it will change everything from the START to the last AAA and Your result will be:

REPLACED_STRING

2) if you use:

$content = preg_replace('/START(.*?)AAA/', 'REPLACED_STRING', $content);

Your Result will be like:

REPLACED_STRING 
SECOND AAA