Search and replace in Vim uses the :s command to quickly substitute text in a line, range, or entire file. With options like global replacement, word boundaries, and confirmation prompts, it streamlines editing tasks efficiently.

In Vim, you can perform a search and replace using the :s (substitute) command. Here are a few common ways to do it:

1. Replace in the current line:

   :s/old_text/new_text/g
   

   • old_text: the text you want to replace.
   • new_text: the text you want to replace it with.
   • g: makes the substitution "global" for all occurrences in the line. Without it, only the first occurrence will be replaced.

2. Replace in the entire file:

   :%s/old_text/new_text/g
   

   • %: applies the command to every line in the file.

3. Replace in a specific range of lines:

   :5,10s/old_text/new_text/g
   

   • 5,10: applies the command to lines 5 through 10.

4. Confirm each replacement:

   :%s/old_text/new_text/gc
   

   • c: asks for confirmation before each replacement. Type y for "yes," n for "no," a for "all," or q to quit.

5. Replace only whole words:

   :%s/\<old_text\>/new_text/g
   

   • \< and \> match the beginning and end of a word boundary.

This flexibility allows for very precise control over replacements in Vim.