SPLIT(1) | General Commands Manual | SPLIT(1)

# NAME

`split` — split a file into pieces

# SYNOPSIS

`split` | [`-a` suffix_length] [`-b` byte_count[`k`|`m`] | `-l` line_count | `-p` pattern] [file [name]]

# DESCRIPTION

The `split` utility reads the given file, or standard input if no file is specified, and breaks it up into files of 1000 lines each. file itself is not altered.

The options are as follows:

`-a` suffix_length
  Use suffix_length letters to form the suffix of the file name (see below). The default suffix length is 2.
`-b` byte_count[`k`|`m`]
  Create files byte_count bytes in length. If ‘k’ is appended to the number, the file is split into byte_count kilobyte pieces. If ‘m’ is appended to the number, the file is split into byte_count megabyte pieces.
`-l` line_count
  Create files line_count lines in length.
`-p` pattern
  The file is split whenever an input line matches pattern, which is interpreted as an extended regular expression. The matching line will be the first line of the next output file. This option is incompatible with the `-b` and `-l` options.

If name is specified, it is used as a prefix for the names of the files into which the file is split. In this case, each file into which the file is split is named by the prefix followed by a lexically ordered suffix using suffix_length characters in the range “a-z”.

If the name argument is not specified, the file is split into lexically ordered files named with the prefixes ‘x’, ‘y’, and ‘z’.

# EXIT STATUS

The `split` utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.

# SEE ALSO

csplit(1), re_format(7)

# STANDARDS

The `split` utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification.

The flag [`-p`], as well as the ‘y’ and ‘z’ prefixes in the absence of a name parameter, are an extension to that specification.

# HISTORY

A `split` command appeared in Version 3 AT&T UNIX.

# BUGS

The maximum line length for matching patterns is 65536.

February 28, 2015 | Debian