RegExpert: A Tool for Visualization of Regular Expressions

In recent years, tools for computer aided learning have become widespread on all levels of education. These tools are used as replacements or additions to traditional methods of instruction, in order to reduce the time students require to absorb the taught course. On the other hand, these tools ease the burden of course lecturers when preparing complex examples since these can be created and executed in real time and then analyzed in class. To increase the interactivity of computer science education, we have developed RegExpert, a tool for regular language manipulation and visualization. The main goal of the RegExpert tool is to simplify and visually present complex concepts and mathematical models of automata theory fundamentals. RegExpert converts user defined or automatically generated regular expression to an equivalent NFA-epsilon (nondeterministic finite automaton with epsilon transitions) and presents it to the user in a form of state diagram. In this paper, we present the structure and implementation of the tool, as well as the ideas for future development.