Search for string and get count in VI editor

Well I want to search for a string and find number of occurrences in a file opened using Vi editor.

From stackoverflow

• :%s/string/string/g will give the answer.

  ojblass : What a better answer. +5 if possible

• You need the n flag. To count words use:

  :%s/\i\+/&/gn
  

  and a particular word:

  :%s/the/&/gn
  

  See count-items documentation section.

  If you simply type in:

  %s/pattern/pattern/g
  

  then the status line will give you the number of matches in vi as well.

  kadeshpa : It looks like this answer is for Vim users and not for Vi :(

  dirkgently : Do you only have vi on your system? Which version?

  ojblass : Someone tagged your quesiton with vim in it... I removed it.

• :g/xxxx/d

  This will delete all the lines with pattern, and report how many deleted. Undo to get them back after.

  ldigas : Of course, he can just omit the "d" so he doesn't have to unto the operation.

  anon : Note this only tells you how many lines - not how many occurences. I think dirk's is a better solution.

  Mohit Chakraborty : My solution below correctly counts multiple occurences within a line and there is nothing to undo.

• THE way is

  :%s/pattern//gn