phpman > man > CSPLIT(1)

Che Dong

Split a file into pieces.

Split a file in two parts, starting the second one at line 10
csplit {{path/to/file}} 10
Split a file in three parts, starting the latter parts in lines 7 and 23
csplit {{path/to/file}} 7 23
Start a new part at every 5th line (will fail if number of lines is not divisible by 5)
csplit {{path/to/file}} 5 {*}
Start a new part at every 5th line, ignoring exact-division error
csplit {{-k|--keep-files}} {{path/to/file}} 5 {*}
Split a file above line 5 and use a custom prefix for the output files (default is `xx`)
csplit {{path/to/file}} 5 {{-f|--prefix}} {{prefix}}
Split a file above the first line matching a `regex` pattern
csplit {{path/to/file}} /{{regex}}/

CSPLIT(1)                                   User Commands                                  CSPLIT(1)



NAME
       csplit - split a file into sections determined by context lines

SYNOPSIS
       csplit [OPTION]... FILE PATTERN...

DESCRIPTION
       Output  pieces  of FILE separated by PATTERN(s) to files 'xx00', 'xx01', ..., and output byte
       counts of each piece to standard output.

       Read standard input if FILE is -

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

       -b, --suffix-format=FORMAT
              use sprintf FORMAT instead of %02d

       -f, --prefix=PREFIX
              use PREFIX instead of 'xx'

       -k, --keep-files
              do not remove output files on errors

       --suppress-matched
              suppress the lines matching PATTERN

       -n, --digits=DIGITS
              use specified number of digits instead of 2

       -s, --quiet, --silent
              do not print counts of output file sizes

       -z, --elide-empty-files
              remove empty output files

       --help display this help and exit

       --version
              output version information and exit

   Each PATTERN may be:
       INTEGER
              copy up to but not including specified line number

       /REGEXP/[OFFSET]
              copy up to but not including a matching line

       %REGEXP%[OFFSET]
              skip to, but not including a matching line

       {INTEGER}
              repeat the previous pattern specified number of times

       {*}    repeat the previous pattern as many times as possible

       A line OFFSET is a required '+' or '-' followed by a positive integer.

AUTHOR
       Written by Stuart Kemp and David MacKenzie.

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

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright © 2020 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.

SEE ALSO
       Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/csplit>
       or available locally via: info '(coreutils) csplit invocation'



GNU coreutils 8.32                          January 2026                                   CSPLIT(1)

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