regex - Java dot doesn't match 'any character' -

dot should match character. why doesn't regex work?

string url = "http://wikipedia.org"; system.out.println(url.replace("htt.://", "")); 

output: http://wikipedia.org

string.replace() compiles literal regex. ought use string.replaceall() or string.replacefirst():

string url = "http://wikipedia.org"; system.out.println(url.replacefirst("htt.://", "")); 

here java source code, method .replace():

/**  * replaces each substring of string matches literal target  * sequence specified literal replacement sequence.  * replacement proceeds beginning of string end,  * example, replacing "aa" "b" in string "aaa" result in  * "ba" rather "ab".  *  * @param  target sequence of char values replaced  * @param  replacement replacement sequence of char values  * @return  resulting string  * @throws nullpointerexception if <code>target</code> or  *         <code>replacement</code> <code>null</code>.  * @since 1.5  */ public string replace(charsequence target, charsequence replacement) {     return pattern.compile(target.tostring(), pattern.literal).matcher(             this).replaceall(matcher.quotereplacement(replacement.tostring())); }