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split

(1)

split a file into pieces

split [OPTION]... [FILE [PREFIX]]

Options

17
-a--suffix-lengthN

generate suffixes of length N (default 2)

--additional-suffixSUFFIX

append an additional SUFFIX to file names

-b--bytesSIZE

put SIZE bytes per output file

-C--line-bytesSIZE

put at most SIZE bytes of records per output file

-d

use numeric suffixes starting at 0, not alphabetic

--numeric-suffixesFROM

same as -d, but allow setting the start value

-x

use hex suffixes starting at 0, not alphabetic

--hex-suffixesFROM

same as -x, but allow setting the start value

-e--elide-empty-files

do not generate empty output files with '-n'

--filterCOMMAND

write to shell COMMAND; file name is $FILE

-l--linesNUMBER

put NUMBER lines/records per output file

-n--numberCHUNKS

generate CHUNKS output files; see explanation below

-t--separatorSEP

use SEP instead of newline as the record separator; '\0' (zero) specifies the NUL character

-u--unbuffered

immediately copy input to output with '-n r/...'

--verbose

print a diagnostic just before each output file is opened

--help

display this help and exit

--version

output version information and exit

DESCRIPTION

Output pieces of FILE to PREFIXaa, PREFIXab, ...; default size is 1000 lines, and default PREFIX is 'x'.

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

generate suffixes of length N (default 2)
append an additional SUFFIX to file names
put SIZE bytes per output file
put at most SIZE bytes of records per output file
use numeric suffixes starting at 0, not alphabetic
same as -d, but allow setting the start value
use hex suffixes starting at 0, not alphabetic
same as -x, but allow setting the start value
do not generate empty output files with '-n'
write to shell COMMAND; file name is $FILE
put NUMBER lines/records per output file
generate CHUNKS output files; see explanation below
use SEP instead of newline as the record separator; '\0' (zero) specifies the NUL character
immediately copy input to output with '-n r/...'
print a diagnostic just before each output file is opened
display this help and exit
output version information and exit

The SIZE argument is an integer and optional unit (example: 10K is 10*1024). Units are K,M,G,T,P,E,Z,Y,R,Q (powers of 1024) or KB,MB,... (powers of 1000). Binary prefixes can be used, too: KiB=K, MiB=M, and so on.

split into N files based on size of input
output Kth of N to stdout
split into N files without splitting lines/records
output Kth of N to stdout without splitting lines/records
like 'l' but use round robin distribution
likewise but only output Kth of N to stdout

AUTHOR

Written by Torbjorn Granlund and Richard M. Stallman.

REPORTING BUGS

GNU coreutils online help: https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/
Report any translation bugs to https://translationproject.org/team/

SEE ALSO

Full documentation https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/split
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) split invocation'

Packaged by Debian (9.7-3)
Copyright © 2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.