Is there search and replace history in Vim?

Question

We can retrieve search and replace history on IDEs and text editors.

Likewise is there a search history or a way to retrieve previously searched expression in Vim?

score 27 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 23 '16 at 10:41

27

Yes, you have the history command:

:history /

Note that it can be used for /, :, =, >, ?, @, all, cmd, debug, expr, input and search.

Alternatively you can use the q:, q/ and q? commands to see previously entered commands and searches on a sepearate buffer. You can then modify as you want and replay them by pressing <CR>.

See :h :history, :h q:.

edited Jun 23 '16 at 10:41

muru

24,838
8
82
143

answered May 10 '16 at 11:50

nobe4

16,033
4
48
81

1

Thanks. Previously I tried just :history which was bit closer. – vusan May 10 '16 at 11:53
4

As for replace, one can look at q:. It's not exclusive to replaces, but it's a real buffer, so all of vim's power works there. – PhilippFrank May 10 '16 at 11:54
1

@PhilippFrank, I'll add this to the answer, thanks – nobe4 May 10 '16 at 11:54
4

Related Vimcasts episode: Refining search patterns with the command-line window – Peter Rincker May 10 '16 at 14:14
1

This answer works great- if you want fast/fuzzy search through your search/command history, you can also use :History/ and :History: using the fzf plugin – bricoletc Jun 20 '22 at 12:47

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered May 29 '23 at 08:30

2

Just hit / and then Ctrl-f to bring up the search history directly under your cursor, scroll with motion keys and Enter at whichever phrase you need to return to. Since I discovered that Ctrl-f list I've never used awful distant Arrow keys to scroll over.

answered May 29 '23 at 08:30

bloody

140
8

Also q/, q:, etc., mentioned in the accepted answer – D. Ben Knoble May 29 '23 at 12:29
@D.BenKnoble Yes, q/ is the same and even simpler. The only benefit of Ctrl-f is when you're already in the search mode / (or other mode) and want to bring up the history. Anyway thank you for the indication. – bloody Jun 03 '23 at 17:39

SibiCoder · Answer 3 · 2016-06-23T09:39:15.373

2

You can use :history s for search history. As a shortcut, you can use :his s. Same way for command line history also.

edited Jun 23 '16 at 09:39

answered May 10 '16 at 11:52

SibiCoder

3,372
5
20
40

Is there search and replace history in Vim?

3 Answers3

Linked