A variant that works with all of the following inputs:
"file.name.with.dots.txt"
"file.txt"
"file"
""
null
undefined
would be:
var re = /(?:\.([^.]+))?$/;
var ext = re.exec("file.name.with.dots.txt")[1]; // "txt"
var ext = re.exec("file.txt")[1]; // "txt"
var ext = re.exec("file")[1]; // undefined
var ext = re.exec("")[1]; // undefined
var ext = re.exec(null)[1]; // undefined
var ext = re.exec(undefined)[1]; // undefined
Explanation
(?: # begin non-capturing group
\. # a dot
( # begin capturing group (captures the actual extension)
[^.]+ # anything except a dot, multiple times
) # end capturing group
)? # end non-capturing group, make it optional
$ # anchor to the end of the string