exemple in the python course "regular expressions - More Metacharacters"

Question

I just read this exemple for the "?" meaning:

import re

pattern = r"ice(-)?cream"

if re.match(pattern, "ice-cream"):
print("Match 1")

if re.match(pattern, "icecream"):
print("Match 2")

if re.match(pattern, "sausages"):
print("Match 3")

if re.match(pattern, "ice--ice"):
print("Match 4")

I think the "Match 4" would be with the string "ice--cream" and not with "ice--ice", isn't it?

Answer 1

your pattern will match
ice-cream
icecream

(-)? read it as zero or one of the symbol -
Best to experiment on a site like
https://regex101.com/
for python or javascript regex
or
http://regexr.com/
for javascript regex
or
for general guidance
http://www.rexegg.com/
or for fun
https://regexcrossword.com/

Answer 2

I understand that but I just would talk about the (probably) mistake in the 4th exemple:

the pattern could be r"ice(-)?cream", r"ice(-)+cream" or r"ice(-)*cream", that could never match with "ice--ice"

:)