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---
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title: "Grep on the fly in SpaceVim"
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categories: [feature, blog]
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excerpt: "Run grep asynchronously, show search results in real-time based on user input, support searching the entire project, searching loaded files or only searching current file"
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image: https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/13142418/35278709-7856ed62-0010-11e8-8b1e-e6cc6374b0dc.gif
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commentsID: "Grep on the fly"
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comments: true
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---
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# [Blogs](../blog/) >> Asynchronous grep on the fly
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FlyGrep means **grep on the fly** , it will update the result as you type. Of course, it is running
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asynchronously. Before using this feature, you need to install a searching tool. FlyGrep works
through search tools: `ag` , `rg` , `ack` , `pt` and `grep` , Choose one you like.
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This ia a built-in plugin in SpaceVim, and we also separated a plugin : [FlyGrep.vim ](https://github.com/wsdjeg/FlyGrep.vim )
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## Install
In linux os, flygrep use grep by default, if you want a more fast tool, you can choose one of following:
- [ripgrep(rg) ](https://github.com/BurntSushi/ripgrep )
- [the_silver_searcher(ag) ](https://github.com/ggreer/the_silver_searcher )
- [the_platinum_searcher(pt) ](https://github.com/monochromegane/the_platinum_searcher )
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## Features
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- **Search in a project**
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In SpaceVim, you can use `SPC s p` or `SPC s /` to search in the current project.
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- **Search in current file**
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You can use `SPC s s` to search in the current file. To search word under the cursor, you can press `SPC s S` .
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- **Search in all loaded buffers**
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To searching in all loaded buffers, you need to press `SPC s b` , and you can also use `SPC s B` to search word under the point.
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- **Search in an arbitrary directory**
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If you want to searching in a different directory instead of current directory, you can
use `SPC s f` . Then insert the path of the arbitrary directory.
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- **Search in a project in the background**
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If you need background searching, you can press `SPC s j` , after searching is done, the index will be displayed on statusline. you can use `SPC s l` to list all the search results.
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## Key bindings
The search commands in SpaceVim are organized under the `SPC s` prefix with the next key is the tool to use and the last key is the scope. For instance `SPC s a b` will search in all opened buffers using `ag` .
If the last key (determining the scope) is uppercase then the current word under the cursor is used as default input for the search. For instance `SPC s a B` will search with word under cursor.
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If the tool key is omitted then a default tool will be automatically selected for the search. This tool corresponds to the first tool found on the system of the list `g:spacevim_search_tools` , the default calling sequence is `rg` , `ag` , `pt` , `ack` then `grep` . For instance `SPC s b` will search in the opened buffers using `pt` if `rg` and `ag` have not been found on the system.
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The tool keys are:
| Tool | Key |
| ---- | --- |
| ag | a |
| grep | g |
| ack | k |
| rg | r |
| pt | t |
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The available scopes and corresponding keys are:
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| Scope | Key |
| -------------------------- | --- |
| opened buffers | b |
| files in a given directory | f |
| current project | p |
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**Within FlyGrep buffer:**
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| Key Binding | Description |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------- |
| `<Esc>` | close FlyGrep buffer |
| `<Enter>` | open file at the cursor line |
| `<Tab>` | move cursor line down |
| `<C-j>` | move cursor line down |
| `<S-Tab>` | move cursor line up |
| `<C-k>` | move cursor line up |
| `<Bs>` | remove last character |
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| `<C-w>` | remove the word before the cursor |
| `<C-u>` | remove the line before the cursor |
| `<C-k>` | remove the line after the cursor |
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| `<C-a>` /`< Home > ` | Go to the beginning of the line |
| `<C-e>` /`< End > ` | Go to the end of the line |
