# split(1) - man - phpman

> **TLDR:** Split a file into pieces.
>
- Split a file, each split having 10 lines (except the last split):
  `split {{-l|--lines}} 10 {{path/to/file}}`
- Split a file into 5 files. File is split such that each split has same size (except the last split):
  `split {{-n|--number}} 5 {{path/to/file}}`
- Split a file with 512 bytes in each split (except the last split; use 512k for kilobytes and 512m for megabytes):
  `split {{-b|--bytes}} 512 {{path/to/file}}`
- Split a file with at most 512 bytes in each split without breaking lines:
  `split {{-C|--line-bytes}} 512 {{path/to/file}}`
- Split into multiple files from `stdin`:
  `gzip {{-cd|--stdout --decompress}} {{path/to/compressed_file.gz}} | split {{-l|--lines}} {{1000}} - {{path/to/output}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

---

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## NAME
       split - split a file into pieces

## SYNOPSIS
       **split** [_OPTION_]... [_FILE_ [_PREFIX_]]

## 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.

### -a --suffix-length
              generate suffixes of length N (default 2)

       **--additional-suffix**=_SUFFIX_
              append an additional SUFFIX to file names

### -b --bytes
              put SIZE bytes per output file

### -C --line-bytes
              put at most SIZE bytes of records per output file

### -d

       **--numeric-suffixes**[=_FROM_]
              same as **-d**, but allow setting the start value

### -x

       **--hex-suffixes**[=_FROM_]
              same as **-x**, but allow setting the start value

### -e --elide-empty-files
              do not generate empty output files with '-n'

       **--filter**=_COMMAND_
              write to shell COMMAND; file name is $FILE

### -l --lines
              put NUMBER lines/records per output file

### -n --number
              generate CHUNKS output files; see explanation below

### -t --separator
              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

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

### CHUNKS may be:
       N      split into N files based on size of input

       K/N    output Kth of N to stdout

       l/N    split into N files without splitting lines/records

       l/K/N  output Kth of N to stdout without splitting lines/records

       r/N    like 'l' but use round robin distribution

       r/K/N  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/>>

## 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/split>>
       or available locally via: info '(coreutils) split invocation'



GNU coreutils 8.32                          January 2026                                    [SPLIT(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/SPLIT/1/markdown)