python re module: how does it work?

[flyingsliverfin]

How does the python 're' module work? We just had a programming contest at school that needed pattern matching and i felt like i was cheating by using re... So now im wondering how i can code re myself, for which i need an understanding of how it works. Im a beginner-intermediate python user and have used the basics to do a lot but haven't gone things beyond functions (so havent done classes yet)

[Vaphell]

regex theory is serious business, my advice: don't go there

but if you really really want - code is here:
/usr/lib/python2.6/re.py

[juancarlospaco]

Very serious business...
http://xkcd.com/208/

[MadCow108]

this site explains how it works internally a bit in its tutorial.
http://www.regular-expressions.info/
its also a good resource for regex in general