How to edit multiple variables in VS Code?

Editing multiple variables in VS Code can significantly speed up your coding workflow. The most direct method involves selecting all occurrences of a specific variable or text and then modifying them simultaneously using multi-cursor editing.

Here's how you can efficiently edit multiple variables and other pieces of code in VS Code:

How to Edit Multiple Variables in VS Code

VS Code offers several powerful features to help you modify multiple instances of variables or text at once, ranging from simple multi-cursor editing to intelligent symbol renaming.

1. Select All Occurrences (Change All Occurrences)

This is one of the most common and efficient ways to edit multiple instances of text, including variable names. It's particularly useful when you want to change a specific string wherever it appears in a document.

How to use it:

1. Select the variable or text you want to change.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + L (on Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + L (on macOS).
   • This action will find all occurrences of your selected text in the current file and place a cursor at the end of each instance.
3. Once all occurrences have cursors, simply start typing. Your changes will be applied to all selected instances simultaneously.

Example: If you have const myVariable = 10; repeated several times and you select myVariable, then press Ctrl+Shift+L (or Cmd+Shift+L), every myVariable in the file will get a cursor, allowing you to rename them all at once.

2. Multi-Cursor Editing (Manual)

For less predictable patterns or when you need to edit specific, non-contiguous locations, you can manually place multiple cursors.

How to use it:

• Alt + Click (on Windows/Linux) or Option + Click (on macOS): Click at various points in your code to add new cursors. Each click adds another cursor, and you can type at all cursor locations simultaneously.
• Ctrl + Alt + Up/Down Arrow (on Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Option + Up/Down Arrow (on macOS): This creates a new cursor directly above or below the current cursor, allowing for quick column-based editing.
• Shift + Alt + I (on Windows/Linux) or Shift + Option + I (on macOS): After selecting multiple lines, this places a cursor at the end of each selected line.

When to use it: This is ideal for appending text to multiple lines, adding specific characters, or making small, precise changes at various points in your code.

3. Rename Symbol

When you need to rename a variable, function, or class that is part of your code's structure, VS Code's "Rename Symbol" feature is the safest and smartest option. It intelligently renames all references to that symbol across its scope (even across multiple files if configured), respecting its definition and usage.

How to use it:

1. Place your cursor on the variable or symbol you want to rename.
2. Press F2.
3. A rename input box will appear. Type the new name and press Enter.
   • VS Code will then update all relevant occurrences of that symbol within its defined scope, ensuring your code remains consistent and functional.

Benefit: Unlike simple text replacement, "Rename Symbol" understands the code structure, preventing accidental changes to unrelated text that might just happen to match the old variable name.

4. Find and Replace

For more complex replacements, especially involving regular expressions or replacements across the entire project, the "Find and Replace" feature is powerful.

How to use it:

1. Open the Find and Replace dialog by pressing Ctrl + H (on Windows/Linux) or Cmd + H (on macOS) for the current file, or Ctrl + Shift + H (on Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + H (on macOS) to search and replace across your entire workspace.
2. In the "Find" field, enter the text or variable you want to locate.
3. In the "Replace" field, enter the new text.
4. You can use options like:
   • Case Sensitive (Aa icon): Matches only text with the exact capitalization.
   • Whole Word (ab icon): Matches only full words, not parts of other words.
   • Use Regular Expression (.* icon): Allows for advanced pattern matching using regex.
5. Click the "Replace All" button (the icon with two arrows) to apply the changes throughout the file or workspace, or use the individual "Replace" button to review each change.

When to use it: This is best for broad changes, especially when you need advanced matching (like regex) or need to make changes across multiple files in a project.

Quick Reference Table: VS Code Multi-Editing Shortcuts

Feature	Windows/Linux Shortcut	macOS Shortcut	Description
Select All Occurrences	Ctrl + Shift + L	Cmd + Shift + L	Find all occurrences of selected text and add multi-cursors.
Add Cursor (Manual)	Alt + Click	Option + Click	Click to place an additional cursor.
Add Cursors (Above/Below)	Ctrl + Alt + Up/Down Arrow	Cmd + Option + Up/Down Arrow	Add a new cursor directly above or below.
Rename Symbol	F2	F2	Intelligently rename a symbol across its scope.
Find & Replace (File)	Ctrl + H	Cmd + H	Open find and replace for the current file.
Find & Replace (Workspace)	Ctrl + Shift + H	Cmd + Shift + H	Open find and replace for the entire workspace.

By mastering these techniques, you can efficiently manage and modify multiple variables and other code elements, significantly boosting your productivity in VS Code.