diff --git a/src/regex_impl.cc b/src/regex_impl.cc
index 93b91c4b..d40402f2 100644
--- a/src/regex_impl.cc
+++ b/src/regex_impl.cc
@@ -3,283 +3,286 @@
 #include "unit_tests.hh"
 #include "string.hh"
 #include "exception.hh"
+#include "array_view.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-struct RegexProgram
+namespace RegexProgram
 {
-    enum Op : char
-    {
-        Match,
-        Literal,
-        AnyChar,
-        Jump,
-        Split,
-        LineStart,
-        LineEnd,
-    };
-
-    using Offset = size_t;
-    using Instructions = Vector<char>;
-
-    Instructions instructions;
+enum Op : char
+{
+    Match,
+    Literal,
+    AnyChar,
+    Jump,
+    Split,
+    LineStart,
+    LineEnd,
 };
 
+using Offset = size_t;
+}
 
 namespace RegexCompiler
 {
-    enum class Quantifier
-    {
-        One,
-        Optional,
-        RepeatZeroOrMore,
-        RepeatOneOrMore
-    };
+enum class Quantifier
+{
+    One,
+    Optional,
+    RepeatZeroOrMore,
+    RepeatOneOrMore
+};
 
-    enum class Op
-    {
-        Literal,
-        AnyChar,
-        Sequence,
-        Alternation,
-        LineStart,
-        LineEnd,
-    };
+enum class Op
+{
+    Literal,
+    AnyChar,
+    Sequence,
+    Alternation,
+    LineStart,
+    LineEnd,
+};
 
-    struct AstNode
-    {
-        Op op;
-        char value;
-        Quantifier quantifier;
-        Vector<std::unique_ptr<AstNode>> children;
-    };
+struct AstNode
+{
+    Op op;
+    char value;
+    Quantifier quantifier;
+    Vector<std::unique_ptr<AstNode>> children;
+};
 
-    using AstNodePtr = std::unique_ptr<AstNode>;
+using AstNodePtr = std::unique_ptr<AstNode>;
 
-    AstNodePtr make_ast_node(Op op, char value = 0,
-                             Quantifier quantifier = Quantifier::One)
-    {
-        return AstNodePtr{new AstNode{op, value, quantifier, {}}};
-    }
-
-    template<typename Iterator>
-    struct Parser
-    {
-        static AstNodePtr parse(Iterator pos, Iterator end)
-        {
-            return disjunction(pos, end);
-        }
-
-    private:
-        static AstNodePtr disjunction(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
-        {
-            AstNodePtr node = alternative(pos, end);
-            if (pos == end or *pos != '|')
-                return node;
-
-            AstNodePtr res = make_ast_node(Op::Alternation);
-            res->children.push_back(std::move(node));
-            while (pos != end and *pos == '|')
-                res->children.push_back(disjunction(++pos, end));
-            return res;
-        }
-
-        static AstNodePtr alternative(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
-        {
-            AstNodePtr res = make_ast_node(Op::Sequence);
-            while (auto node = term(pos, end))
-                res->children.push_back(std::move(node));
-            return res;
-        }
-
-        static AstNodePtr term(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
-        {
-            if (auto node = assertion(pos, end))
-                return node;
-            if (auto node = atom(pos, end))
-            {
-                node->quantifier = quantifier(pos, end);
-                return node;
-            }
-            return nullptr;
-        }
-
-        static AstNodePtr assertion(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
-        {
-            switch (*pos)
-            {
-                case '^': ++pos; return make_ast_node(Op::LineStart);
-                case '$': ++pos; return make_ast_node(Op::LineEnd);
-                /* TODO: \`, \', \b, \B, look ahead, look behind */
-            }
-            return nullptr;
-        }
-
-        static AstNodePtr atom(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
-        {
-            const auto c = *pos;
-            switch (c)
-            {
-                case '.': ++pos; return make_ast_node(Op::AnyChar);
-                case '(':
-                {
-                    ++pos;
-                    auto content = disjunction(pos, end);
-                    if (pos == end or *pos != ')')
-                        throw runtime_error{"Unclosed parenthesis"};
-                    ++pos;
-                    return content;
-                }
-                default:
-                    if (contains("^$.*+?()[]{}|", c))
-                        return nullptr;
-                    ++pos;
-                    return make_ast_node(Op::Literal, c);
-            }
-        }
-
-        static Quantifier quantifier(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
-        {
-            switch (*pos)
-            {
-                case '*': ++pos; return Quantifier::RepeatZeroOrMore;
-                case '+': ++pos; return Quantifier::RepeatOneOrMore;
-                case '?': ++pos; return Quantifier::Optional;
-                default: return Quantifier::One;
-            }
-        }
-    };
-
-    RegexProgram::Offset compile_node(RegexProgram& program, const AstNodePtr& node)
-    {
-        auto& insts = program.instructions;
-        RegexProgram::Offset pos = insts.size();
-
-        auto allow_none = [](Quantifier quantifier) {
-            return quantifier == Quantifier::Optional or
-                   quantifier == Quantifier::RepeatZeroOrMore;
-        };
-
-        auto is_repeat = [](Quantifier quantifier) {
-            return quantifier == Quantifier::RepeatZeroOrMore or
-                   quantifier == Quantifier::RepeatOneOrMore;
-        };
-
-        auto alloc_offsets = [](RegexProgram::Instructions& instructions, int count) {
-            auto pos = instructions.size();
-            instructions.resize(instructions.size() + count * sizeof(RegexProgram::Offset));
-            return pos;
-        };
-
-        auto get_offset = [](RegexProgram::Instructions& instructions, RegexProgram::Offset base, int index = 0) {
-            return reinterpret_cast<RegexProgram::Offset*>(&instructions[base]) + index;
-        };
-
-        RegexProgram::Offset optional_offset = -1;
-        if (allow_none(node->quantifier))
-        {
-            insts.push_back(RegexProgram::Split);
-            insts.push_back(2);
-            auto offsets = alloc_offsets(insts, 2);
-            *get_offset(insts, offsets) = insts.size();
-            optional_offset = offsets;
-        }
-
-        Vector<RegexProgram::Offset> goto_end_offsets;
-        auto content_pos = insts.size();
-        switch (node->op)
-        {
-            case Op::Literal:
-                insts.push_back(RegexProgram::Literal);
-                insts.push_back(node->value);
-                break;
-            case Op::AnyChar:
-                insts.push_back(RegexProgram::AnyChar);
-                break;
-            case Op::Sequence:
-                for (auto& child : node->children)
-                    compile_node(program, child);
-                break;
-            case Op::Alternation:
-            {
-                const auto count = node->children.size();
-                if (count > 255)
-                    throw runtime_error{"More than 255 elements in an alternation is not supported"};
-
-                insts.push_back(RegexProgram::Split);
-                insts.push_back(count);
-                auto offsets = alloc_offsets(insts, count);
-                auto& children = node->children;
-                for (int i = 0; i < children.size(); ++i)
-                {
-                    auto child_pos = compile_node(program, children[i]);
-                    *get_offset(insts, offsets, i) = child_pos;
-                    // Jump to end after executing that children
-                    insts.push_back(RegexProgram::Jump);
-                    goto_end_offsets.push_back(alloc_offsets(insts, 1));
-                }
-                break;
-            }
-            case Op::LineStart:
-                insts.push_back(RegexProgram::LineStart);
-                break;
-            case Op::LineEnd:
-                insts.push_back(RegexProgram::LineEnd);
-                break;
-        }
-
-        for (auto& offset : goto_end_offsets)
-            *get_offset(insts, offset) =  insts.size();
-
-        if (is_repeat(node->quantifier))
-        {
-            insts.push_back(RegexProgram::Split);
-            insts.push_back(2);
-            auto offsets = alloc_offsets(insts, 2);
-            *get_offset(insts, offsets, 0) = content_pos;
-            *get_offset(insts, offsets, 1) = insts.size();
-        }
-
-        if (optional_offset != -1)
-            *get_offset(insts, optional_offset, 1) = insts.size();
-
-        return pos;
-    }
-
-    RegexProgram compile(const AstNodePtr& node)
-    {
-        RegexProgram res;
-        compile_node(res, node);
-        res.instructions.push_back(RegexProgram::Match);
-        return res;
-    }
+AstNodePtr make_ast_node(Op op, char value = 0,
+                         Quantifier quantifier = Quantifier::One)
+{
+    return AstNodePtr{new AstNode{op, value, quantifier, {}}};
 }
 
-void dump_program(const RegexProgram& program)
+template<typename Iterator>
+struct Parser
 {
-    auto& insts = program.instructions;
-    for (size_t pos = 0; pos < insts.size(); )
+    static AstNodePtr parse(Iterator pos, Iterator end)
+    {
+        return disjunction(pos, end);
+    }
+
+private:
+    static AstNodePtr disjunction(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
+    {
+        AstNodePtr node = alternative(pos, end);
+        if (pos == end or *pos != '|')
+            return node;
+
+        AstNodePtr res = make_ast_node(Op::Alternation);
+        res->children.push_back(std::move(node));
+        while (pos != end and *pos == '|')
+            res->children.push_back(disjunction(++pos, end));
+        return res;
+    }
+
+    static AstNodePtr alternative(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
+    {
+        AstNodePtr res = make_ast_node(Op::Sequence);
+        while (auto node = term(pos, end))
+            res->children.push_back(std::move(node));
+        return res;
+    }
+
+    static AstNodePtr term(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
+    {
+        if (auto node = assertion(pos, end))
+            return node;
+        if (auto node = atom(pos, end))
+        {
+            node->quantifier = quantifier(pos, end);
+            return node;
+        }
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    static AstNodePtr assertion(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
+    {
+        switch (*pos)
+        {
+            case '^': ++pos; return make_ast_node(Op::LineStart);
+            case '$': ++pos; return make_ast_node(Op::LineEnd);
+            /* TODO: \`, \', \b, \B, look ahead, look behind */
+        }
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    static AstNodePtr atom(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
+    {
+        const auto c = *pos;
+        switch (c)
+        {
+            case '.': ++pos; return make_ast_node(Op::AnyChar);
+            case '(':
+            {
+                ++pos;
+                auto content = disjunction(pos, end);
+                if (pos == end or *pos != ')')
+                    throw runtime_error{"Unclosed parenthesis"};
+                ++pos;
+                return content;
+            }
+            default:
+                if (contains("^$.*+?()[]{}|", c))
+                    return nullptr;
+                ++pos;
+                return make_ast_node(Op::Literal, c);
+        }
+    }
+
+    static Quantifier quantifier(Iterator& pos, Iterator end)
+    {
+        switch (*pos)
+        {
+            case '*': ++pos; return Quantifier::RepeatZeroOrMore;
+            case '+': ++pos; return Quantifier::RepeatOneOrMore;
+            case '?': ++pos; return Quantifier::Optional;
+            default: return Quantifier::One;
+        }
+    }
+};
+
+RegexProgram::Offset compile_node(Vector<char>& program, const AstNodePtr& node)
+{
+    RegexProgram::Offset pos = program.size();
+
+    auto allow_none = [](Quantifier quantifier) {
+        return quantifier == Quantifier::Optional or
+               quantifier == Quantifier::RepeatZeroOrMore;
+    };
+
+    auto is_repeat = [](Quantifier quantifier) {
+        return quantifier == Quantifier::RepeatZeroOrMore or
+               quantifier == Quantifier::RepeatOneOrMore;
+    };
+
+    auto alloc_offsets = [](Vector<char>& instructions, int count) {
+        auto pos = instructions.size();
+        instructions.resize(instructions.size() + count * sizeof(RegexProgram::Offset));
+        return pos;
+    };
+
+    auto get_offset = [](Vector<char>& instructions, RegexProgram::Offset base, int index = 0) {
+        return reinterpret_cast<RegexProgram::Offset*>(&instructions[base]) + index;
+    };
+
+    RegexProgram::Offset optional_offset = -1;
+    if (allow_none(node->quantifier))
+    {
+        program.push_back(RegexProgram::Split);
+        program.push_back(2);
+        auto offsets = alloc_offsets(program, 2);
+        *get_offset(program, offsets) = program.size();
+        optional_offset = offsets;
+    }
+
+    Vector<RegexProgram::Offset> goto_end_offsets;
+    auto content_pos = program.size();
+    switch (node->op)
+    {
+        case Op::Literal:
+            program.push_back(RegexProgram::Literal);
+            program.push_back(node->value);
+            break;
+        case Op::AnyChar:
+            program.push_back(RegexProgram::AnyChar);
+            break;
+        case Op::Sequence:
+            for (auto& child : node->children)
+                compile_node(program, child);
+            break;
+        case Op::Alternation:
+        {
+            const auto count = node->children.size();
+            if (count > 255)
+                throw runtime_error{"More than 255 elements in an alternation is not supported"};
+
+            program.push_back(RegexProgram::Split);
+            program.push_back(count);
+            auto offsets = alloc_offsets(program, count);
+            auto& children = node->children;
+            for (int i = 0; i < children.size(); ++i)
+            {
+                auto child_pos = compile_node(program, children[i]);
+                *get_offset(program, offsets, i) = child_pos;
+                // Jump to end after executing that children
+                program.push_back(RegexProgram::Jump);
+                goto_end_offsets.push_back(alloc_offsets(program, 1));
+            }
+            break;
+        }
+        case Op::LineStart:
+            program.push_back(RegexProgram::LineStart);
+            break;
+        case Op::LineEnd:
+            program.push_back(RegexProgram::LineEnd);
+            break;
+    }
+
+    for (auto& offset : goto_end_offsets)
+        *get_offset(program, offset) =  program.size();
+
+    if (is_repeat(node->quantifier))
+    {
+        program.push_back(RegexProgram::Split);
+        program.push_back(2);
+        auto offsets = alloc_offsets(program, 2);
+        *get_offset(program, offsets, 0) = content_pos;
+        *get_offset(program, offsets, 1) = program.size();
+    }
+
+    if (optional_offset != -1)
+        *get_offset(program, optional_offset, 1) = program.size();
+
+    return pos;
+}
+
+Vector<char> compile(const AstNodePtr& node)
+{
+    Vector<char> res;
+    compile_node(res, node);
+    res.push_back(RegexProgram::Match);
+    return res;
+}
+
+template<typename Iterator>
+Vector<char> compile(Iterator begin, Iterator end)
+{
+    return compile(Parser<Iterator>::parse(begin, end));
+}
+}
+
+namespace RegexProgram
+{
+void dump(ConstArrayView<char> program)
+{
+    for (size_t pos = 0; pos < program.size(); )
     {
         printf("%4zd    ", pos);
-        switch ((RegexProgram::Op)insts[pos++])
+        switch ((RegexProgram::Op)program[pos++])
         {
             case RegexProgram::Literal:
-                printf("literal %c\n", insts[pos++]);
+                printf("literal %c\n", program[pos++]);
                 break;
             case RegexProgram::AnyChar:
                 printf("any char\n");
                 break;
             case RegexProgram::Jump:
-                printf("jump %zd\n", *reinterpret_cast<const RegexProgram::Offset*>(&insts[pos]));
+                printf("jump %zd\n", *reinterpret_cast<const RegexProgram::Offset*>(&program[pos]));
                 pos += sizeof(RegexProgram::Offset);
                 break;
             case RegexProgram::Split:
             {
-                int count = insts[pos++];
+                int count = program[pos++];
                 printf("split [");
                 for (int i = 0; i < count; ++i)
-                    printf("%zd%s", reinterpret_cast<const RegexProgram::Offset*>(&insts[pos])[i],
+                    printf("%zd%s", reinterpret_cast<const RegexProgram::Offset*>(&program[pos])[i],
                            (i == count - 1) ? "]\n" : ", ");
                 pos += count * sizeof(RegexProgram::Offset);
                 break;
@@ -296,17 +299,15 @@ void dump_program(const RegexProgram& program)
     }
 }
 
-bool regex_match(const RegexProgram& program, StringView data)
+struct StepResult
 {
-    const char* start = program.instructions.data();
-    Vector<const char*> threads = { start };
+    enum Result { Consumed, Matched, Failed } result;
+    const char* next = nullptr;
+};
 
-    struct StepResult
-    {
-        enum Result { Consumed, Stepped, Matched, Failed } result;
-        const char* next = nullptr;
-    };
-    auto step_thread = [&](const char* inst, char c) -> StepResult
+StepResult step_thread(const char* inst, char c, const char* start, Vector<const char*>& threads)
+{
+    while (true)
     {
         const RegexProgram::Op op = (RegexProgram::Op)*inst++;
         switch (op)
@@ -318,42 +319,43 @@ bool regex_match(const RegexProgram& program, StringView data)
             case RegexProgram::AnyChar:
                 return { StepResult::Consumed, inst };
             case RegexProgram::Jump:
-                return { StepResult::Stepped, start + *reinterpret_cast<const RegexProgram::Offset*>(inst) };
+                inst = start + *reinterpret_cast<const RegexProgram::Offset*>(inst);
+                break;
             case RegexProgram::Split:
             {
                 const int count = *inst++;
                 auto* offsets = reinterpret_cast<const RegexProgram::Offset*>(inst);
                 for (int o = 1; o < count; ++o)
                     threads.push_back(start + offsets[o]);
-                return { StepResult::Stepped, start + offsets[0] };
+                inst = start + offsets[0];
+                break;
             }
             case RegexProgram::LineStart:
                 // TODO
-                return { StepResult::Stepped, inst };
+                break;
             case RegexProgram::LineEnd:
                 // TODO
-                return { StepResult::Stepped, inst };
+                break;
             case RegexProgram::Match:
                 return { StepResult::Matched };
         }
-        return { StepResult::Failed };
-    };
+    }
+    return { StepResult::Failed };
+}
+
+bool match(ConstArrayView<char> program, StringView data)
+{
+    const char* start = program.begin();
+    Vector<const char*> threads = { start };
 
     for (auto c : data)
     {
         for (int i = 0; i < threads.size(); ++i)
         {
-            while (threads[i])
-            {
-                auto res = step_thread(threads[i], c);
-                threads[i] = res.next;
-
-                if (res.result == StepResult::Consumed or
-                    res.result == StepResult::Failed)
-                    break;
-                else if (res.result == StepResult::Matched)
-                    return true;
-            }
+            auto res = step_thread(threads[i], c, start, threads);
+            threads[i] = res.next;
+            if (res.result == StepResult::Matched)
+                return true;
         }
         threads.erase(std::remove(threads.begin(), threads.end(), nullptr), threads.end());
         if (threads.empty())
@@ -363,29 +365,34 @@ bool regex_match(const RegexProgram& program, StringView data)
     // Step remaining threads to see if they match without consuming anything else
     for (int i = 0; i < threads.size(); ++i)
     {
-        while (threads[i])
-        {
-            auto res = step_thread(threads[i], 0);
-            threads[i] = res.next;
-            if (res.result == StepResult::Consumed)
-                break;
-            else if (res.result == StepResult::Matched)
-                return true;
-        }
+        if (step_thread(threads[i], 0, start, threads).result == StepResult::Matched)
+            return true;
     }
     return false;
 }
+}
 
 auto test_regex = UnitTest{[]{
-    StringView re = "^(foo|qux)+(bar)?baz$";
-    auto node = RegexCompiler::Parser<const char*>::parse(re.begin(), re.end());
-    kak_assert(node);
-    auto program = RegexCompiler::compile(node);
-    dump_program(program);
-    kak_assert(regex_match(program, "fooquxbarbaz"));
-    kak_assert(not regex_match(program, "quxbar"));
-    kak_assert(not regex_match(program, "blahblah"));
-    kak_assert(regex_match(program, "foobaz"));
+    {
+        StringView re = "a*b";
+        auto program = RegexCompiler::compile(re.begin(), re.end());
+        RegexProgram::dump(program);
+        kak_assert(RegexProgram::match(program, "b"));
+        kak_assert(RegexProgram::match(program, "ab"));
+        kak_assert(RegexProgram::match(program, "aaab"));
+        kak_assert(not RegexProgram::match(program, "acb"));
+        kak_assert(not RegexProgram::match(program, ""));
+    }
+    {
+        StringView re = "^(foo|qux)+(bar)?baz$";
+        auto program = RegexCompiler::compile(re.begin(), re.end());
+        RegexProgram::dump(program);
+        kak_assert(RegexProgram::match(program, "fooquxbarbaz"));
+        kak_assert(not RegexProgram::match(program, "quxbar"));
+        kak_assert(not RegexProgram::match(program, "blahblah"));
+        kak_assert(RegexProgram::match(program, "foobaz"));
+        kak_assert(RegexProgram::match(program, "quxbaz"));
+    }
 }};
 
 }