HTTP / HTTPS URL (Basic) Regex for PHP

What this pattern does

This page provides a comprehensive, battle-tested regular expression for matching http / https url (basic), ported and verified for PHP. A rigorously tested regex reduces debugging time and protects your application from edge-case failures. The snippet below is ready to drop into your PHP project — whether you're validating in a Laravel validator, a WordPress plugin, or a standalone PHP script.

Php Implementation

<?php
// HTTP / HTTPS URL (Basic)
// ReDoS-safe | RegexVault — Web & Network > URL

define('HTTP_HTTPS_URL_BASIC_PATTERN', '/^https?:\/\/(?:[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9\-]{0,61}[a-zA-Z0-9])?\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,63}(?::(?:6553[0-5]|655[0-2][0-9]|65[0-4][0-9]{2}|6[0-4][0-9]{3}|[1-5][0-9]{4}|[1-9][0-9]{0,3}))?(?:\/[^\s]*)?$/');

function validate_http_https_url_basic(string $input): bool {
    return (bool) preg_match(HTTP_HTTPS_URL_BASIC_PATTERN, $input);
}

// Example
var_dump(validate_http_https_url_basic("https://example.com")); // bool(true)

Test Cases

When to use this pattern

This pattern is drawn from the Web & Network > URL category and carries a ReDoS-safe certification. That matters for PHP developers because especially relevant in PHP where PCRE backtracking limits can trigger silent failures on malicious input. RegexVault audits patterns against known backtracking attack vectors, ensuring you have the necessary context before using this regex in a high-stakes production environment.

Common Pitfalls

Technical Notes

Path component uses [^\s]* which is bounded by whitespace — safe against ReDoS. Allows query strings and fragments within the path group. TLD length limited to 2–63 chars per RFC 1034.