| -a--suffix-length | generate suffixes of length N (default 2) |
| --additional-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 | use numeric suffixes starting at 0, not alphabetic |
| --numeric-suffixes | same as -d, but allow setting the start value |
| -x | use hex suffixes starting at 0, not alphabetic |
| --hex-suffixes | same as -x, but allow setting the start value |
| -e--elide-empty-files | do not generate empty output files with '-n' |
| --filter | 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 |
| 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 |
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=N
generate suffixes of length N (default 2)
- --additional-suffix=SUFFIX
append an additional SUFFIX to file names
- -b, --bytes=SIZE
put SIZE bytes per output file
- -C, --line-bytes=SIZE
put at most SIZE bytes of records per output file
- -d
use numeric suffixes starting at 0, not alphabetic
- --numeric-suffixes[=FROM]
same as -d, but allow setting the start value
- -x
use hex suffixes starting at 0, not alphabetic
- --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=NUMBER
put NUMBER lines/records per output file
- -n, --number=CHUNKS
generate CHUNKS output files; see explanation below
- -t, --separator=SEP
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,R,Q (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/>
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.