Matching requests

Choose one of three match modes

The editor has two browser rule formats and one simpler RequestOrbit format. Most rules need only the first option:

New rules start with URL filter. If an entry clearly looks like a regular expression, the editor suggests switching but never changes the mode by itself.

• URL filter (recommended): browser-native pattern syntax for a domain, fixed URL, or path. It cannot create $1 values.
• Simple wildcard: RequestOrbit turns each * into a captured part. Use it for straightforward redirects that keep part of the original URL.
• Regular expression: browser-checked syntax for precise captures, alternatives, and advanced logic. Support can vary by browser.

What || and ^ mean

In a URL filter, || starts matching at a domain name and includes subdomains. The ^ after the domain requires a separator or the end of the URL, so example.com does not accidentally match example.company. A single | anchors the beginning or end; * matches any number of characters.

This is declarativeNetRequest URL-filter syntax, not a WebExtension host-permission match pattern. RequestOrbit derives the required permission pattern for you.

            ||example.com^
|https://example.com/app.js|
https://example.com/assets/*
          

Captures and $1 through $9

In Simple wildcard mode, the first * becomes $1, the second becomes $2, and so on. In Regular expression mode, use ^ and $ to anchor the URL, \. for a literal dot, .* for any text, and (...) for each capture group.

$1 through $9 work only in a Redirect destination. The * in URL filter mode matches text but never captures it.

Finally, resource types, methods, and initiator domains can narrow the rule. Leaving types or methods empty means all values.

            Simple wildcard
Match         https://api.example.com/v1/*
Request       https://api.example.com/v1/users/42
$1 = users/42
Destination   http://localhost:3000/v1/$1

Regular expression
Match         ^https://api\.example\.com/v1/(users|projects)/([^?]+)$
Request       https://api.example.com/v1/projects/alpha
$1 = projects, $2 = alpha
Destination   https://api.example.com/v2/$1/$2