Table of contents

ctags

install ctags

sudo apt install -y ctags

create a tag file for the specified files

ctags [file]...

create the tag file ./ctags by recursive indexing directories

ctags -R [directory]...
ctags --recurse [directory]...

append to ctags file, instead of overwrite

--append

specify filename

-f [file]

print tag file to system output

-f -

exclude files / directories

--exclude=[pattern]

list kind of tags available per language

ctags −−list−kinds

list kind of tags available for a specific language

ctags --list-kinds=java

vim

show current tags lookup path

:set tags?

tell vim where to find tag files

:set tags=./tags,./../tags,./*/tags

recursive directory search for tag files

:set tags=~/proj/**/tags

jump to tag

:tag? [tag]
:stag? [tag]    # split

show next matching tag (e.g. java.util.List, java.awt.List)

:tnext
:tn

show previous matching tag

:tprevious
:tp
:tN

show all matching tags

:tselect  [tag]
:ts       [tag]
:stselect [tag]    # split
:sts      [tag]    # split
:tjump    [tag]    # if only one match -> jump there
:tj       [tag]    # if only one match -> jump there

regex search for tag

:tag     /[regex]
:tselect /[regex]

case sensitive regex

:tag     /[regex]\c
:tselect /[regex]\c

lookup tag for word under cursor

ctrl-]          # open first match
ctrl-w ]        # split (type number first to set height)
g]              # tag select
g ctrl-]        # tag select, or jump if only one match

show tag stack

:tags

previous tag (stack pop)

ctrl-t
:pop?

newer tag (reverse of pop)

:tag

go back [n] tags

[n] ctrl-t
:[n]pop

show function definition in preview window

:ptag [tag]
ctrl-w }

jump to tag by index

:[n]?tr(ewind)?
:[n]?tf(irst)?
:tl(ast)?

replace tag stack with matches

ltag [name]

preview window

preview match from current file (even if not in tags file)

:psearch [tag]

close preview window

:pclose

preview alternatives to tag commands

ptselect   -> tselect
pts        -> tselect
ptjump     -> tjump
ptj        -> tjump
ptnext     -> ...
ptn        -> ...
ptprevious
ptp
ptNext
ptN
ptrewind
ptr
ptfirst
ptf
ptlast
ptl

documentation

https://vimhelp.org/tagsrch.txt.html#tagsrch.txt
http://ctags.sourceforge.net/ctags.html#HOW%20TO%20USE%20WITH%20VI