How do you highlight search matches in Vim?
set hlsearch
Use set hlsearch to highlight all matches of the last search pattern.
Tag: search
How do you make search case-insensitive by default?
set ignorecase smartcase
Use ignorecase for case-insensitive search.
How do you enable incremental search in Vim?
set incsearch
With set incsearch, Vim shows search matches as you type the pattern.
How do you use a register value in a substitute command?
:%s/<C-r>a/replacement/g
In command-line mode, a inserts the contents of register a.
How do you set the search register programmatically?
:let @/ = 'pattern'
Use :let @/ = 'pattern' to set the search register directly.
How do you paste a register value into the search prompt?
/<C-r>a
While in the search prompt (/), press a to insert the contents of register a.
How do I search with vimgrep only in specific file types?
:vimgrep /pattern/ **/*.py
By specifying a file glob pattern with :vimgrep, you can restrict the search to specific file types.
How do I use non-greedy (lazy) matching in Vim regex?
/pattern\{-}
The \{-} quantifier in Vim regex matches as few characters as possible, unlike which matches as many as possible (greedy).
How do I see the search match count in the statusline?
:set shortmess-=S
The shortmess option controls which messages are shortened.
How do I quickly replace a word and then repeat it elsewhere?
ciw + new text + Esc, then n.
The ciw command followed by new text, combined with and .
What are the useful flags for the substitute command?
:s/pattern/replace/flags
The substitute command supports several flags that modify its behavior.
How do I search and replace with case-preserving substitution?
:%S/old/new/g (vim-abolish)
vim-abolish by Tim Pope provides :%S (Subvert), a substitute command that preserves the case pattern of the original text.
How do I access and reuse the last search pattern?
"/ register
The / register contains the most recent search pattern.
How do I run a macro on all lines matching a pattern?
:g/pattern/norm @a
The :g/pattern/norm @a command combines the global command with macro execution.
How do I extend a visual selection to a search match?
v/pattern<CR>
Starting a search while in visual mode extends the selection to the search match.
How do I search for the exact text I have selected?
y/\V<C-r>"<CR>
By yanking a visual selection and pasting it into the search prompt with \V (very nomagic), you can search for exact text including special characters.
How do I perform a substitute only within a visual block column?
:'<,'>s/\%Vpattern/replacement/g
Using \%V in a substitute pattern restricts matching to within the visual block area only, rather than the full lines.
How do I search for a pattern across multiple files?
:vimgrep /pattern/ **/*.ext
The :vimgrep command searches for a pattern across multiple files and populates the quickfix list with the results.
How do I match any character including newlines in a Vim search?
/\_.pattern
The \.
How do I use an external grep program from within Vim?
:grep pattern files
The :grep command runs an external grep tool and loads the results into Vim's quickfix list.