*, cw, then . . . — The Replace Loop

Search a word, change one, repeat with dot.

Keys: *, c, w, n, .

*cwNEW Esc, then n.n.n. — change every occurrence of a word, one at a time, with confirmation. The most-loved Vim refactoring loop.

*, cw, then . . . — The Replace Loop

The classic Vim refactoring loop. Searches for a word, changes one instance, then jumps to each next match where you decide whether to dot-repeat (apply) or skip.

Step by step
KeyNote
*Cursor on word: search next exact match
cwChange word — Vim drops you in Insert
NEWType replacement
EscBack to Normal — change is saved as the dot-target
nJump to next match
.Apply the same change
nSkip this one — just move to next
.Apply…

Worked example — * cw . . .

Search-cursor-change-repeat — mass rename.

Step 1 ·
pattern.star-cw-dot
Step 2 · * · * — search for 'foo'.
* — search for 'foo'.
Step 3 · cwbar Esc · cwbar — change to bar.
cwbar — change to bar.
Step 4 · n . · n then . — next match, dot.
n then . — next match, dot.
Step 5 · n . · And again. The Replace Loop.
And again. The Replace Loop.

The classic Vim mass-edit. cgn is similar and even slicker — see cgn-dot.

▶ Try this in the simulator

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See also: Word Search, Repeat Last Change, {key:cgn} — Change-Next-Match Loop