How do I search non-greedily across multiple lines between two markers?
/\vstart\_.{-}end
Multiline searches in Vim often overmatch because .
Tag: search
How do I search only the message part of TODO comments using match boundaries?
/\vTODO:\s*\zs.{-}\ze\s*($|#)
When TODO comments include prefixes, owners, or trailing metadata, a plain search often lands on the wrong part of the line.
How do I search for 'bar' that is not preceded by 'foo'?
/foo\@<!bar
Vim regex supports zero-width assertions, so you can match text based on context without consuming the context itself.
How do I restrict a search to a specific line-number window without selecting text first?
/\%>20l\%<40lTODO
Vim's search engine can constrain matches by line number, which is useful when you want to scan a known section without touching the rest of the buffer.
How do I run vimgrep across a project using whatever pattern is currently in the search register?
:execute 'vimgrep /' . @/ . '/gj **/*'
If you already refined a search interactively with / or ?, retyping that pattern for project-wide grep is repetitive and error-prone.
How do I search files on 'path' and open the first match in the preview window instead of replacing my current buffer?
:psearch /pattern/
When you need quick context from another file but do not want to disturb your current editing window, :psearch gives you a clean workflow.
buffers-windows #buffers #windows #preview-window #search #navigation
How do I narrow an existing location list to only entries matching a regex without rerunning the search?
:packadd cfilter | Lfilter /pattern/
When you already have a populated location list, rerunning the original search just to focus on a subset is slow and disruptive.
How do I populate a window-local location list from the current file and open it immediately?
:lgrep /pattern/ % | lopen
Quickfix is global, but sometimes you want a narrower search workspace tied to one window.
How do I search literally for the exact text I yanked last?
:let @/ = '\V' . escape(@0, '\')
When the text you yank contains regex characters, a normal / search can produce noisy or surprising matches.
How do I count substitution matches before changing anything?
:%s/pattern/replacement/gn
When you are about to run a broad substitution, it is often safer to measure impact first.
command-line #command-line #ex-commands #substitution #search
How do I jump through several annotation keywords with one search command?
/\v<(TODO|FIXME|BUG)>
When you triage code, jumping among TODO, FIXME, and BUG markers quickly is often more useful than searching each token separately.
How do I set the search pattern to the current word literally without executing a search in Vim?
:let @/ = '\V' . escape(expand('<cword>'), '\')
This pattern lets you prepare a precise search target without jumping the cursor or triggering an immediate search motion.
How do I load the search register with a literal <cword> pattern?
:let @/ = '\V' .. escape(expand('<cword>'), '\\')
Sometimes * is too opinionated: it uses keyword boundaries and interprets regex metacharacters.
How do I build a location list of TODO matches across a project?
:lvimgrep /\<TODO\>/gj **/* | lopen
If you want project-wide search results without polluting the global quickfix list, use a location list.
How do I delete just the current search match with dgn?
*Ndgn
When you are reviewing repetitive text, you often need to remove one specific match without running a broad substitute.
How do I run a replacement only over the current window's location-list matches?
:ldo s/foo/bar/ge | update\<CR>
:ldo is one of the most effective ways to perform targeted, multi-file edits without touching unrelated text.
How do I search a project but keep results window-local using the location list instead of quickfix?
:lvimgrep /TODO/j **/* | lopen\<CR>
When you are working in multiple windows, quickfix can become noisy because it is shared globally across the editor session.
How do I duplicate every non-blank line in a buffer with one Ex command?
:g/./t.\<CR>
The :global command can apply an Ex action to every line that matches a pattern.
How do I search across files with lvimgrep and keep results in a window-local location list?
:lvimgrep /pattern/j **/* | lopen
Quickfix is great, but it is global.
How do I collect multiple project searches into one location list instead of replacing results?
:lvimgrepadd /pattern/gj **/*
When investigating a bug or refactor, you often need to gather results from several related patterns before deciding what to edit.