In (N)Vim, you can perform search and replace operations using the :substitute command. Here are the basic steps and syntax for doing search and replace:

Basic Syntax

The basic command for search and replace in (N)Vim is:

:s/pattern/replacement/

• :s indicates that you want to substitute.
• pattern is the text you want to search for.
• replacement is the text you want to replace it with.
• The trailing / is used to end the command.

Example

To replace the first occurrence of "foo" with "bar" on the current line, you would use:

:s/foo/bar/

Replace All Occurrences on the Current Line

To replace all occurrences of "foo" with "bar" on the current line, add the g (global) flag:

:s/foo/bar/g

Replace in the Entire File

To perform a search and replace throughout the entire file, add the % before the s:

:%s/foo/bar/g

Confirm Each Replacement

If you want to confirm each replacement, add the c (confirm) flag:

:%s/foo/bar/gc

This will prompt you for confirmation before each replacement.

Case Sensitivity

By default, the search is case-sensitive. To make it case-insensitive, you can add the i flag:

:%s/foo/bar/gi

Additional Flags

• n: Show the number of occurrences that were made.
• c: Confirm each substitution.
• g: Replace all occurrences in the line or file.
• i: Ignore case in the search.

Summary of Commands

1. Replace first occurrence in the current line:

   :s/pattern/replacement/
   

2. Replace all occurrences in the current line:

   :s/pattern/replacement/g
   

3. Replace all occurrences in the entire file:

   :%s/pattern/replacement/g
   

4. Confirm each replacement:

   :%s/pattern/replacement/gc
   

5. Case-insensitive replacement:

   :%s/pattern/replacement/gi
   

Conclusion

These commands should help you effectively perform search and replace operations in (N)Vim. Remember to always back up your files before performing bulk replacements, especially when using the g flag!