How to Split a Large CSV File into Multiple Files Using bash

Learn how to efficiently split a large CSV file into multiple smaller files, each containing the header and 10,000 records, using bash in a Unix environment.
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How to Split a Large CSV File into Multiple Files Using bash

Handling large CSV files can be quite cumbersome. However, sometimes you may need to split these large files into smaller, more manageable chunks. In this post, we’ll explore how to split a large CSV file into multiple files, each containing a header and 10,000 records using bash in a Unix environment.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the solution, ensure you have access to a Unix-like environment with bash. This guide assumes you have basic knowledge of command-line operations.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Your Environment

Extract the Header
To retain the header in all the split files, you'll need to extract it separately:

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Create the Split Files

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Here, tail -n +2 skips the header line, and split -l 10000 - split_file_ creates files with 10,000 lines each, naming them with the prefix split_file_.

Add the Header to Split Files
After splitting, the files will not have the header. To add the header back into each file, we can loop through the split files and prepend the header:

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Cleanup (Optional)

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Conclusion

By following these steps, you can easily split a large CSV file into multiple smaller files while retaining the header in each file. This method ensures that each split file is manageable and retains the context provided by the original header.

Experiment with these commands on your files to understand the process better, and tailor it to your specific needs. Happy data handling!