search

vb search [OPTIONS] PATTERN...

Description

Search the repository for PATTERN and show matches. Depending on options and how the administrator has search configured for the repository, the search can cover:

*   check-in comments (-c)
*   embedded documentation (--docs)
*   forum posts (--forum)
*   tickets (--tickets)
*   tech notes (--technotes)
*   wiki pages (--wiki)
*   built-in vb help text (-h)
*   all of the above (-a)

Use options below to select the scope of the search. The default is check-in comments only (-c).

Output is colorized if writing to a TTY and if the NO_COLOR environment variable is not set. Use the --highlight 0 option to disable colorization or use --highlight 91 to force it on. Change the argument to --highlight to change the color.

Options

-a, --all

Search everything

-c, --checkins

Search checkin comments

--docs

Search embedded documentation

--forum

Search forum posts

-h, --bi-help

Search built-in help

--highlight N

Used VT100 color N for matching text. 0 means off.

-n, --limit N

Limit output to N matches

--technotes

Search tech notes

--tickets

Search tickets

-W, --width WIDTH

Set display width to WIDTH columns, 0 for unlimited. Defaults to the terminal’s width.

--wiki

Search wiki

Examples

• Init and open a repository

$ vb init search_repo.vbyte
project-id: d2a6ecc7270ee5207338090d70c9ea4a9874bb64
server-id:  41511de44b7bb9550dad7c84b72c85ee813c569e
admin-user: ubuntu (initial remote-access password is "moGjbXs4WF")
$ vb open -f search_repo.vbyte
project-name: <unnamed>
repository:   /tmp/sphinx_tests/5b86f2b1/search_repo/search_repo.vbyte
local-root:   /tmp/sphinx_tests/5b86f2b1/search_repo/
config-db:    /tmp/sphinx_tests/5b86f2b1/.visionbyte
project-code: d2a6ecc7270ee5207338090d70c9ea4a9874bb64
checkout:     44eb58129bb5dad37a43b7ffc2debd46a0242b09 2026-03-31 13:00:37 UTC
tags:         trunk
comment:      initial empty check-in (user: ubuntu)
check-ins:    1

• Create commits with messages to search

$ vb sys echo "a" > a.txt
$ vb add a.txt
ADDED  a.txt
$ vb ci -m "Add docs"
Committed version: 3a5a1a12a27437980add65c6e7087bf28718e5f2d523585d7fd3e1bbb698e9f7

$ vb sys echo "b" > b.txt
$ vb add b.txt
ADDED  b.txt
$ vb ci -m "Refactor module"
Committed version: e5ed7717c278942120b5bd2128ff7e8d368ee6cb1fb6d3b14a2e401e6c7c2c23

• Enable search for check-in comments

$ vb fts-config enable check-in
check-in search:      on
document search:      off
ticket search:        off
wiki search:          off
technote search:      off
forum search:         off
built-in help search: off
tokenizer:            off
full-text index:      disabled

• Search commit messages for keyword

$ vb search docs
Check-in [3a5a1a12a2] on 2026-03-31 13:00:38
     ... Add <MARK>docs</MARK> (user: ubuntu, tags: trunk) Add <MARK>docs</MARK>
     (user: ubuntu ... 
     2026-03-31 13:00:38