How to use the command csvsort (with examples)

The command csvsort is a part of csvkit, a library for working with CSV files in the command line. csvsort allows users to sort CSV files based on specific columns or criteria. It provides options for ascending or descending order, sorting multiple columns, and disabling data type inference.

Use case 1: Sort a CSV file by column 9

Code:

csvsort -c 9 data.csv

Motivation: Sorting a CSV file by a specific column can be useful when analyzing data or preparing it for further processing. By specifying -c 9, the command will sort the CSV file based on the values in the 9th column.

Explanation:

• -c 9: Specifies that column 9 should be used for sorting.
• data.csv: The input CSV file to be sorted.

Example output:

column1,column2,column3,...
value1,value2,value3,...
value1,value2,value3,...
...

Use case 2: Sort a CSV file by the “name” column in descending order

Code:

csvsort -r -c name data.csv

Motivation: Ordering data in descending order can be helpful when analyzing data or when the highest values need to be prioritized. By using -r in addition to -c name, the command will sort the CSV file by the “name” column in descending order.

Explanation:

• -r: Specifies that the sorting order should be reversed (descending).
• -c name: Specifies that the “name” column should be used for sorting.
• data.csv: The input CSV file to be sorted.

Example output:

name,age,city,...
Zoe,25,New York,...
John,30,Boston,...
Alice,28,Chicago,...
...

Use case 3: Sort a CSV file by column 2, then by column 4

Code:

csvsort -c 2,4 data.csv

Motivation: Sorting CSV files based on multiple columns can provide a more comprehensive view of the data. By using -c 2,4, the command will sort the CSV file first by column 2, and then within each value of column 2, it will sort by column 4.

Explanation:

• -c 2,4: Specifies that column 2 should be used as the primary sorting column, and within each value of column 2, column 4 should be used as the secondary sorting column.
• data.csv: The input CSV file to be sorted.

Example output:

column1,column2,column3,column4,...
value1,a,value3,2,...
value2,a,value3,1,...
value3,b,value3,3,...
...

Use case 4: Sort a CSV file without inferring data types

Code:

csvsort --no-inference -c columns data.csv

Motivation: By default, csvsort infers the data types of columns, which can affect the sorting behavior. By using --no-inference, the command will sort the CSV file without considering data types.

Explanation:

• --no-inference: Disables the inference of data types, treating all values as strings.
• -c columns: Specifies that the column named “columns” should be used for sorting.
• data.csv: The input CSV file to be sorted.

Example output:

columns,column1,column2,column3,...
12,value1,value2,value3,...
2,value2,value3,value1,...
3,value3,value1,value2,...
...

Conclusion:

The csvsort command is a versatile tool for sorting CSV files based on specific columns or criteria. With the options it provides, users can sort CSV files in ascending or descending order, sort by multiple columns, and disable data type inference. These examples provide a starting point for using the command and customizing it to fit different sorting needs.