How to Use the Command csvcut (with examples)

The csvcut command is a tool included in csvkit that allows for filtering and truncating CSV files. It functions similarly to the Unix cut command but is specifically designed for tabular data. By using csvcut, you can easily extract specific columns from a CSV file based on their indices or names.

Use case 1: Print indices and names of all columns

Code:

csvcut -n data.csv

Motivation:

This use case is handy when you want to get an overview of the structure and columns present in a CSV file. By printing the indices and names of all columns, you can quickly understand the content and layout of the data.

Explanation:

• -n: Specifies that we want to print the indices and names of all columns.
• data.csv: The path to the CSV file we want to analyze.

Example output:

  1: id
  2: name
  3: age
  4: address
  5: email

Use case 2: Extract the first and third columns

Code:

csvcut -c 1,3 data.csv

Motivation:

In some cases, you may only need specific columns from a CSV file for analysis or further processing. By extracting the first and third columns, you can focus on the relevant information and reduce unnecessary data.

Explanation:

• -c 1,3: Specifies the indices of the columns we want to extract. In this case, column 1 and column 3 will be included.
• data.csv: The path to the CSV file we want to extract columns from.

Example output:

id,age
1,25
2,30
3,42
4,19

Use case 3: Extract all columns except the fourth one

Code:

csvcut -C 4 data.csv

Motivation:

Sometimes, you may want to exclude certain columns from your analysis or processing. By extracting all columns except the fourth one, you can easily remove irrelevant or redundant information from your data.

Explanation:

• -C 4: Specifies the index of the column we want to exclude. In this case, column 4 will not be included.
• data.csv: The path to the CSV file we want to extract columns from.

Example output:

id,name,age,email
1,John,25,john@example.com
2,Alice,30,alice@example.com
3,Michael,42,michael@example.com
4,Sarah,19,sarah@example.com

Use case 4: Extract the columns named “id” and “first name” (in that order)

Code:

csvcut -c id,"first name" data.csv

Motivation:

If you know the specific names of the columns you want to extract, you can easily specify them instead of using indices. This can be useful when the column order is not consistent or when you have a large number of columns to sift through.

Explanation:

• -c id,"first name": Specifies the names of the columns we want to extract. In this case, the columns named “id” and “first name” will be included.
• data.csv: The path to the CSV file we want to extract columns from.

Example output:

id,first name
1,John
2,Alice
3,Michael
4,Sarah

Conclusion:

The csvcut command is a powerful tool for filtering and truncating CSV files. By using its various options, you can easily extract columns based on indices or names, remove irrelevant columns, and gain a better understanding of the structure of your data. Whether you need to quickly analyze or process specific columns, csvcut is an essential tool in your data manipulation toolkit.