Workspace Search
Find and replace text across all files in the open project.
The Search sidebar finds text across your entire workspace. Use it for refactors, auditing string usage, and locating config keys.
Open search
- Click the search icon on the activity bar
- View → Search or Ctrl+Shift+F
- Edit → Find in Files from the menu
Find in files
- Type your search query in the search box.
- Results appear grouped by file with line previews.
- Click a result to open the file at that line.
Search respects file exclude patterns from Settings → Editor → Files. Hidden folders like node_modules are skipped by default.
Replace in files
Switch to replace mode with Ctrl+H or the toggle in the search sidebar.
- Enter find and replace strings.
- Review matches in the results list.
- Replace one match at a time, or replace all in a file or across the workspace.
Confirm bulk replacements carefully. Shape modifies files on disk when you apply a replace.
Search options
Use the buttons below the search field to toggle:
- Match case
- Match whole word
- Use regular expression
Regex mode supports capture groups in replace strings.
Search vs Go to File
| Feature | Shortcut | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Go to File | Ctrl+P | Filenames only |
| Find in Files | Ctrl+Shift+F | File contents |
| Workspace Symbols | Ctrl+T | Functions, classes, variables |
Use Ctrl+P when you know the file name. Use search when you need to find text inside files.