Speedlight Search

Features

Split Panel Interface

Inspired by PhpStorm's search experience, this extension provides a dual-panel view:

• Left Panel: Search results grouped by file
• Right Panel: Full file preview with syntax highlighting
• Preview files before opening them

Keyboard-First Workflow

• Ctrl+Shift+F (or Cmd+Shift+F on Mac) - Open search (customizable)
• ↑ / ↓ - Navigate through results (works while typing!)
• Enter - Open file and close search
• Ctrl+Enter / Cmd+Enter - Open in new tab, keep search open
• Shift+Enter - Open in split view, keep search open
• Esc - Close search
• Start typing anywhere to focus search input

Advanced Interaction

• Double-click - Open file and close search
• Ctrl+Double-click / Cmd+Double-click - Open in new tab, keep search open
• Shift+Double-click - Open in split view, keep search open
• Context Menu - Right-click folders in Explorer to search within that directory
• Selected Text - Automatically pre-fills search with selected text when opening

Smart Search Features

• File Mask Filter - Filter by file types (e.g., *.ts, *.js)
• Directory Scope - Search within specific folders (supports comma-separated paths)
• Respect VS Code Settings - Uses your files.exclude and search.exclude settings
• Respect .gitignore - Uses your .gitignore file to exclude files from search
• Live file preview with syntax highlighting while browsing results
• Match highlighting in both result list and preview
• File icons from your current VS Code theme
• File size limits to handle large codebases
• Debounced search for responsive typing experience

Screenshot

Installation

Install from the VS Code Marketplace or search for "Speedlight Search" in the VS Code extensions.

Usage

Basic Search

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+F (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+F (Mac)
2. Type your search query
3. Use arrow keys to navigate results (even while typing!)
4. Press Enter to open the file at the exact match location
5. Press Esc to close

Advanced Features

File Type Filtering:

• Click the filter icon (🔽) next to the search input
• Enter file patterns like *.ts, *.js to search only in specific file types
• Combine with directory scoping for precise searches

Directory Scoping:

• Click "Directory" scope button
• Enter folder paths separated by commas (e.g., src, tests)
• Or use the folder browse button to select a directory
• Or right-click a folder in Explorer and select "Storm Search: Search in Folder"

Opening Files:

• Enter - Open and close search
• Ctrl+Enter / Cmd+Enter - Open in new tab, keep search open
• Shift+Enter - Open in split view, keep search open
• Same modifiers work with double-click!

Keyboard Navigation:

• Arrow keys work while typing in search input
• Start typing anywhere to automatically focus the search box
• Navigate and open files without touching the mouse

The search respects your VS Code files.exclude and search.exclude settings.