Python re.match() checks for a match only at the beginning of the string, while re.search() checks for a match anywhere in the string. Re search can also act like re match by using caret (^) in the pattern.
Here are some examples
re search vs re match
import re
print "==re.search=="
m = re.search('world', "Hello WORLD", re.I)
print m
m = re.search('^world', "Hello WORLD", re.I)
print m
print "==re.match=="
m = re.match('hello', "Hello WORLD", re.I)
print m
m = re.match('world', "Hello WORLD", re.I)
print m==re.search== <_sre.SRE_Match object at 0x7ff0d06a2f10> None ==re.match== <_sre.SRE_Match object at 0x7ff0d06a2f10> None
Env: Python 2.7.18
re search using caret
import re
print "==re.search using caret=="
m = re.search('^hello', "Hello WORLD", re.I)
print m
m = re.search('^world', "Hello WORLD", re.I)
print m==re.search using caret== <_sre.SRE_Match object at 0x7f7f74f45f80> None
Env: Python 2.7.18
