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
    suppress 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 an integer optionally preceded by '+' or '-'

AUTHOR
Written by Stuart Kemp and David MacKenzie.

REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to: bug-coreutils@gnu.org

Report Gentoo bugs to: https://bugs.gentoo.org/
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>

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

Packaged by Gentoo (9.10 (p0))
Copyright © 2026 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.