1) How can I search for a word and delete that matched word in vi editor?

This is bit tricky question. With SED it’s bit easy to do. In vi editor too we can search for a word and delete it with some trick.

Delete matched search term from a file

Step1: Go to command mode and search mode

Step2: Now search for your term and replace it with nothing

:%s/searchterm//g

This will help you to delete all the occurrences of your search term. Let me explain above syntax

:%s is for searching for entire file, if you want to search in a particular line we can just use :s.
/serchterm// will replace ‘searchterm’ with nothing, which means it will be removed from that line
g for global removal, what it mean is the search and replace operation is applicable for all the occurrences of search-term in a given line.

Delete matched search term line from a file 

Some times it’s require to delete entire line of your searched term. We can use below code once you go to command mode

:g/searchterm/d

Deleting reverse or inverse of search term lines from a file

We can even delete all the lines which do not contain our search term with below code.

:g!/searchterm/d

Hope this helps, check our other vi editor posts as well.

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Surendra Anne

Mr Surendra Anne is from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a Linux/Open source supporter who believes in Hard work, A down to earth person, Likes to share knowledge with others, Loves dogs, Likes photography. He works as Devops Engineer with Taggle systems, an IOT automatic water metering company, Sydney . You can contact him at surendra (@) linuxnix dot com.