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Split Text into Separate Columns Split delimited text into separate columns.

Text Columns Splitter illustration
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Text Columns Splitter

Split delimited text into separate columns.

1

Paste Text

Paste delimited text (CSV, TSV, etc.).

2

Select Delimiter

Choose the delimiter used in your text.

3

Copy Columns

Copy individual columns as needed.

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What Is Text Columns Splitter?

A Text Columns Splitter is a utility that takes delimited text as input and separates it into individual columns based on a specified column separator, such as tabs, commas, pipes, or spaces. Developers and data analysts use it to extract specific fields from CSV data or separate tabular data into manageable parts. One specific problem it solves is the need to work with individual columns from structured text, where manual separation can be time-consuming and error-prone.

The tool allows users to paste delimited text and select a separator, including a custom option, which enables flexible handling of different data formats. It then splits each line into columns and presents them separately, allowing for independent copying of each column. This feature is particularly useful when working with large datasets, where extracting specific fields can be a tedious task.

What makes this tool different is its ability to handle various separator types and automatically detect the number of columns in the input text. It also provides an option to copy individual columns, which simplifies tasks like splitting delimited text into columns online or extracting columns from CSV text. By using it, users can efficiently split text into columns and work with specific fields, making data analysis and processing more efficient.

Why Use Text Columns Splitter?

  • Split CSV/TSV data into individual columns
  • Extract specific fields from delimited text
  • Copy individual columns independently
  • Support for multiple delimiter types

Common Use Cases

Data Extraction

Extract specific columns from CSV or TSV data.

Spreadsheet Prep

Separate combined data into individual columns for spreadsheet import.

Log Parsing

Split structured log lines into individual fields.

Content Separation

Isolate individual components from combined text data.

Technical Guide

The tool works by utilizing the `split` method to divide each line of input based on the selected delimiter, which can be a tab, comma, space, pipe, or custom separator. It then determines the maximum number of columns across all lines using `Math.max` and creates column arrays of equal length using `Array.from`. Each column array contains the values from that position in every line, with lines having fewer columns than the maximum padded with empty strings. The `useMemo` hook is used to memoize the computation of the columns, ensuring it only runs when the input or separator changes. This approach allows for efficient handling of large datasets.

Under the hood, the tool relies on React's state management capabilities, specifically `useState`, to store the input text, selected separator, and custom separator value. The `useCallback` hook is used to memoize the `handleCopy` function, which handles copying a column to the clipboard using the `copyToClipboard` function from the `@/lib/utils` module. The tool also utilizes Framer Motion's `motion` component to create a visually appealing copy button with a scaling effect on tap. When a column is copied, the `setTimeout` function is used to reset the copied index state after a 2-second delay.

The tool's UI components are built using a combination of HTML and CSS classes, including `glass-card`, `flex`, and `font-mono`. The `cn` function from the `@/lib/utils` module is used to conditionally apply CSS classes based on the component's state. The `textarea` elements used to display each column are set to `readOnly`, preventing users from modifying the output directly. By using these technologies and techniques, the tool provides a efficient and user-friendly way to split delimited text into individual columns.

Tips & Best Practices

  • 1
    Use Tab delimiter for data pasted from spreadsheets
  • 2
    Each column gets its own copy button
  • 3
    Lines with fewer fields are padded with empty values
  • 4
    Custom delimiter can be any character or string

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q What if lines have different numbers of columns?
Lines with fewer values are padded with empty strings in the later columns.
Q Can I split on multiple characters?
Use the Custom delimiter option to specify a multi-character delimiter.
Q Does it handle quoted CSV fields?
No — simple splitting is used. For quoted CSV with embedded delimiters, use the CSV to Markdown Table tool.
Q How many columns can it produce?
It creates as many columns as the line with the most fields.
Q Can I recombine the columns?
Yes, use the Text Columns Merger to recombine columns with a different separator.

About This Tool

Text Columns Splitter is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.