How to clear highlighting created by LSP function definition search in Neovim?

I have very recently added my first LSP configuration to my Neovim setup. This is how it looks:

local on_attach = function(_, _) 
    vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>rn', vim.lsp.buf.rename, {})
    vim.keymap.set('n', '<leader>ca', vim.lsp.buf.code_action, {})
    vim.keymap.set('n', 'gd', vim.lsp.buf.definition, {})
    vim.keymap.set('n', 'gi', vim.lsp.buf.implementation, {})
    vim.keymap.set('n', 'gr', require('telescope.builtin').lsp_references, {})
    vim.keymap.set('n', 'K', vim.lsp.buf.hover, {})
end

Through this, I have used the gD shortcut (g, Shift+d) which highlights all the occurrences of a function. However, I have been unable to escape or clear this highlight. Can anyone help me?

I tried :q and :close but it closes the Neovim window I am working in. Escape does nothing and the only way out of this currently is to completely exit Neovim and reopen it.

Solution

To clear highlighting, you need to issue the command nohlsearch, or the abbreviated equivalent, noh.

I map this command to Ctrl+l as it's the same key combination used to clear the terminal. You can remember the first letters of each key (c + l) as a mnemonic for clear (clear terminal, clear highlighting etc.).

To set this mapping, add the following line to your configuration:

vim.keymap.set({ "n" }, "<C-l>", "<cmd>noh<CR>") -- clear highlighting