FSplit: Fast File Splitting Tool for Developers
What it is
FSplit is a lightweight command-line utility that quickly splits large files into smaller chunks and can reassemble them. It’s designed for developers who need efficient file handling in scripts, CI pipelines, or constrained environments.
Key features
- Speed: Optimized I/O and minimal overhead for fast splitting and joining.
- Flexible split options: Split by size, number of chunks, or by pattern/marker.
- Join/verify: Reassemble chunks and verify integrity using checksums (MD5/SHA256).
- Streaming-friendly: Supports streaming input/output for piped workflows.
- Cross-platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Small footprint: Minimal dependencies; suitable for containers and CI runners.
- CLI-first: Scriptable options, exit codes for automation, and verbose/quiet modes.
Common commands (examples)
- Split by size (100 MB chunks):
bash
fsplit split –size 100M largefile.bin
- Split into 10 equal parts:
bash
fsplit split –parts 10 largefile.bin
- Join files:
bash
fsplit join largefile.bin.part
- Stream split (from stdin):
bash
cat largefile.bin | fsplit split –size 50M -o chunk-
- Verify after join:
bash
fsplit verify joined.bin –checksum sha256 –expected <hex>
Use cases
- Preparing large files for upload where size limits apply.
- Breaking logs or datasets for parallel processing.
- Packaging large assets for distribution.
- CI pipelines that need deterministic chunking and verification.
Integration tips
- Add to CI images or use as a step in GitHub Actions/GitLab CI.
- Combine with compression (gzip/xz) beforehand to reduce transfer size.
- Use checksum verification in deployment pipelines to ensure integrity.
Alternatives
Tools with overlapping functionality include split (coreutils), 7-Zip, and custom scripts using dd or Python. FSplit’s benefits are speed, streaming support, and developer-friendly CLI.
If you want, I can generate a short README, example CI step, or a small benchmarking script comparing FSplit to coreutils split.
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