{
"content": [
{
"type": "text",
"text": "# split(1) (man)\n\n## TLDR\n\n> Split a file into pieces.\n\n- Split a file, each split having 10 lines (except the last split):\n `split {{-l|--lines}} 10 {{path/to/file}}`\n- Split a file into 5 files. File is split such that each split has same size (except the last split):\n `split {{-n|--number}} 5 {{path/to/file}}`\n- Split a file with 512 bytes in each split (except the last split; use 512k for kilobytes and 512m for megabytes):\n `split {{-b|--bytes}} 512 {{path/to/file}}`\n- Split a file with at most 512 bytes in each split without breaking lines:\n `split {{-C|--line-bytes}} 512 {{path/to/file}}`\n- Split into multiple files from `stdin`:\n `gzip {{-cd|--stdout --decompress}} {{path/to/compressed_file.gz}} | split {{-l|--lines}} {{1000}} - {{path/to/output}}`\n\n*Source: tldr-pages*\n\n---\n\n**Summary:** split - split a file into pieces\n\n**Synopsis:** split [OPTION]... [FILE [PREFIX]]\n\n## Flags\n\n| Flag | Long | Arg | Description |\n|------|------|-----|-------------|\n| -a | --suffix-length | — | generate suffixes of length N (default 2) --additional-suffix=SUFFIX append an additional SUFFIX to file names |\n| -b | --bytes | — | put SIZE bytes per output file |\n| -C | --line-bytes | — | put at most SIZE bytes of records per output file |\n| -d | — | — | --numeric-suffixes[=FROM] same as -d, but allow setting the start value |\n| -x | — | — | --hex-suffixes[=FROM] same as -x, but allow setting the start value |\n| -e | --elide-empty-files | — | do not generate empty output files with '-n' --filter=COMMAND write to shell COMMAND; file name is $FILE |\n| -l | --lines | — | put NUMBER lines/records per output file |\n| -n | --number | — | generate CHUNKS output files; see explanation below |\n| -t | --separator | — | use SEP instead of newline as the record separator; '\\0' (zero) specifies the NUL character |\n| -u | --unbuffered | — | immediately copy input to output with '-n r/...' |\n| — | --verbose | — | print a diagnostic just before each output file is opened --help display this help and exit |\n| — | --version | — | output version information and exit The SIZE argument is an integer and optional unit (example: 10K is 10*1024). Units a |\n\n## Section Outline\n\n- **NAME** (2 lines)\n- **SYNOPSIS** (2 lines)\n- **DESCRIPTION** (7 lines) — 13 subsections\n - -a --suffix-length (5 lines)\n - -b --bytes (2 lines)\n - -C --line-bytes (2 lines)\n - -d (3 lines)\n - -x (3 lines)\n - -e --elide-empty-files (5 lines)\n - -l --lines (2 lines)\n - -n --number (2 lines)\n - -t --separator (3 lines)\n - -u --unbuffered (2 lines)\n - --verbose (4 lines)\n - --version (6 lines)\n - CHUNKS may be: (12 lines)\n- **AUTHOR** (2 lines)\n- **REPORTING BUGS** (3 lines)\n- **COPYRIGHT** (5 lines)\n- **SEE ALSO** (6 lines)\n\n## Full Content\n\n### NAME\n\nsplit - split a file into pieces\n\n### SYNOPSIS\n\nsplit [OPTION]... [FILE [PREFIX]]\n\n### DESCRIPTION\n\nOutput pieces of FILE to PREFIXaa, PREFIXab, ...; default size is 1000 lines, and default\nPREFIX is 'x'.\n\nWith no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.\n\nMandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.\n\n#### -a --suffix-length\n\ngenerate suffixes of length N (default 2)\n\n--additional-suffix=SUFFIX\nappend an additional SUFFIX to file names\n\n#### -b --bytes\n\nput SIZE bytes per output file\n\n#### -C --line-bytes\n\nput at most SIZE bytes of records per output file\n\n#### -d\n\n--numeric-suffixes[=FROM]\nsame as -d, but allow setting the start value\n\n#### -x\n\n--hex-suffixes[=FROM]\nsame as -x, but allow setting the start value\n\n#### -e --elide-empty-files\n\ndo not generate empty output files with '-n'\n\n--filter=COMMAND\nwrite to shell COMMAND; file name is $FILE\n\n#### -l --lines\n\nput NUMBER lines/records per output file\n\n#### -n --number\n\ngenerate CHUNKS output files; see explanation below\n\n#### -t --separator\n\nuse SEP instead of newline as the record separator; '\\0' (zero) specifies the NUL\ncharacter\n\n#### -u --unbuffered\n\nimmediately copy input to output with '-n r/...'\n\n#### --verbose\n\nprint a diagnostic just before each output file is opened\n\n--help display this help and exit\n\n#### --version\n\noutput version information and exit\n\nThe SIZE argument is an integer and optional unit (example: 10K is 10*1024). Units are\nK,M,G,T,P,E,Z,Y (powers of 1024) or KB,MB,... (powers of 1000). Binary prefixes can be used,\ntoo: KiB=K, MiB=M, and so on.\n\n#### CHUNKS may be:\n\nN split into N files based on size of input\n\nK/N output Kth of N to stdout\n\nl/N split into N files without splitting lines/records\n\nl/K/N output Kth of N to stdout without splitting lines/records\n\nr/N like 'l' but use round robin distribution\n\nr/K/N likewise but only output Kth of N to stdout\n\n### AUTHOR\n\nWritten by Torbjorn Granlund and Richard M. Stallman.\n\n### REPORTING BUGS\n\nGNU coreutils online help: \nReport any translation bugs to \n\n### COPYRIGHT\n\nCopyright © 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later\n.\nThis is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to\nthe extent permitted by law.\n\n### SEE ALSO\n\nFull documentation \nor available locally via: info '(coreutils) split invocation'\n\n\n\nGNU coreutils 8.32 January 2026 SPLIT(1)\n\n"
}
],
"structuredContent": {
"command": "split",
"section": "1",
"mode": "man",
"summary": "split - split a file into pieces",
"synopsis": "split [OPTION]... [FILE [PREFIX]]",
"tldr_summary": "Split a file into pieces.",
"tldr_examples": [
{
"description": "Split a file, each split having 10 lines (except the last split)",
"command": "split {{-l|--lines}} 10 {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Split a file into 5 files. File is split such that each split has same size (except the last split)",
"command": "split {{-n|--number}} 5 {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Split a file with 512 bytes in each split (except the last split; use 512k for kilobytes and 512m for megabytes)",
"command": "split {{-b|--bytes}} 512 {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Split a file with at most 512 bytes in each split without breaking lines",
"command": "split {{-C|--line-bytes}} 512 {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Split into multiple files from `stdin`",
"command": "gzip {{-cd|--stdout --decompress}} {{path/to/compressed_file.gz}} | split {{-l|--lines}} {{1000}} - {{path/to/output}}"
}
],
"tldr_source": "official",
"flags": [
{
"flag": "-a",
"long": "--suffix-length",
"arg": null,
"description": "generate suffixes of length N (default 2) --additional-suffix=SUFFIX append an additional SUFFIX to file names"
},
{
"flag": "-b",
"long": "--bytes",
"arg": null,
"description": "put SIZE bytes per output file"
},
{
"flag": "-C",
"long": "--line-bytes",
"arg": null,
"description": "put at most SIZE bytes of records per output file"
},
{
"flag": "-d",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "--numeric-suffixes[=FROM] same as -d, but allow setting the start value"
},
{
"flag": "-x",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "--hex-suffixes[=FROM] same as -x, but allow setting the start value"
},
{
"flag": "-e",
"long": "--elide-empty-files",
"arg": null,
"description": "do not generate empty output files with '-n' --filter=COMMAND write to shell COMMAND; file name is $FILE"
},
{
"flag": "-l",
"long": "--lines",
"arg": null,
"description": "put NUMBER lines/records per output file"
},
{
"flag": "-n",
"long": "--number",
"arg": null,
"description": "generate CHUNKS output files; see explanation below"
},
{
"flag": "-t",
"long": "--separator",
"arg": null,
"description": "use SEP instead of newline as the record separator; '\\0' (zero) specifies the NUL character"
},
{
"flag": "-u",
"long": "--unbuffered",
"arg": null,
"description": "immediately copy input to output with '-n r/...'"
},
{
"flag": "",
"long": "--verbose",
"arg": null,
"description": "print a diagnostic just before each output file is opened --help display this help and exit"
},
{
"flag": "",
"long": "--version",
"arg": null,
"description": "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."
}
],
"examples": [],
"see_also": [],
"section_outline": [
{
"name": "NAME",
"lines": 2,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "SYNOPSIS",
"lines": 2,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "DESCRIPTION",
"lines": 7,
"subsections": [
{
"name": "-a --suffix-length",
"lines": 5,
"flag": "-a",
"long": "--suffix-length"
},
{
"name": "-b --bytes",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-b",
"long": "--bytes"
},
{
"name": "-C --line-bytes",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-C",
"long": "--line-bytes"
},
{
"name": "-d",
"lines": 3,
"flag": "-d"
},
{
"name": "-x",
"lines": 3,
"flag": "-x"
},
{
"name": "-e --elide-empty-files",
"lines": 5,
"flag": "-e",
"long": "--elide-empty-files"
},
{
"name": "-l --lines",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-l",
"long": "--lines"
},
{
"name": "-n --number",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-n",
"long": "--number"
},
{
"name": "-t --separator",
"lines": 3,
"flag": "-t",
"long": "--separator"
},
{
"name": "-u --unbuffered",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-u",
"long": "--unbuffered"
},
{
"name": "--verbose",
"lines": 4,
"long": "--verbose"
},
{
"name": "--version",
"lines": 6,
"long": "--version"
},
{
"name": "CHUNKS may be:",
"lines": 12
}
]
},
{
"name": "AUTHOR",
"lines": 2,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "REPORTING BUGS",
"lines": 3,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "COPYRIGHT",
"lines": 5,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "SEE ALSO",
"lines": 6,
"subsections": []
}
]
}
}