api - PHP Twitter replace link and hashtag with real link

Question

I am looping over JSON response from Twitter API. Each API response gives me a tweet similar to:

Hi my name is @john, and I love #soccer, visit me

I am trying to replace @john, and insert <a href=http://twitter.com/john>@john</a> but the comma (,) after @john, is the problem.

How to replace dots, commas, etc before and after the tag?

Answer 1

$str = preg_replace("/@(w+)/i", "<a href="http://twitter.com/$1">$0</a>", $str);