# Split a column Shape / columns split one column into several by delimiter, position or pattern Page: ## Status Runs as a SQL step. arcform carries it as a `sql:` step today. ## The DuckDB step split one column into two It reads the `orders` table the proofs share. Create it first: ```sql CREATE TABLE orders AS SELECT * FROM (VALUES (1, 'Alice Ng', 'north', DATE '2026-01-03', 120.00, 'widget', 'a|b', '{"channel":"web","items":[1,2]}'), (2, 'alice ng', 'north', DATE '2026-01-05', 80.50, 'gadget', 'b', '{"channel":"shop","items":[3]}'), (3, 'Bob Okafor', 'south', DATE '2026-01-05', 300.00, 'widget', 'a|c', '{"channel":"web","items":[4,5,6]}'), (4, 'Carla Díaz', 'east', DATE '2026-01-09', NULL, 'gizmo', NULL, '{"channel":"web","items":[]}'), (5, 'Bob Okafor', 'south', DATE '2026-01-12', 45.25, 'gadget', 'c', '{"channel":"phone","items":[7]}'), (6, 'Dev Patel', 'west', DATE '2026-01-12', 510.00, 'widget', 'a', '{"channel":"web","items":[8,9]}'), (7, 'Carla Diaz', 'east', DATE '2026-01-20', 99.99, 'gizmo', 'b|c', '{"channel":"shop","items":[10]}'), (8, 'Dev Patel', 'west', DATE '2026-02-02', 510.00, 'widget', 'a', '{"channel":"web","items":[8,9]}'), (9, 'Eve Larsen', NULL, DATE '2026-02-03', 15.00, 'gadget', NULL, '{"channel":"web","items":[11]}'), (10, 'Alice Ng', 'north', DATE '2026-02-10', 220.00, 'gizmo', 'a|b|c', '{"channel":"phone","items":[12,13]}') ) t(order_id, customer, region, order_date, amount, product, tags, meta); ``` Then run the statement: ```sql CREATE TEMP TABLE result AS SELECT customer, split_part(customer, ' ', 1) AS first_name, split_part(customer, ' ', -1) AS last_name FROM orders; SELECT * FROM result; SELECT CASE WHEN ((SELECT count(*) FILTER (WHERE customer = 'Bob Okafor' AND first_name = 'Bob' AND last_name = 'Okafor') = 1 FROM result)) THEN 'as expected' ELSE error('a name with two spaces did not split into its first and last parts') END AS verdict; ``` It needs nothing installed beyond DuckDB itself. ## Variants - Split a column on a delimiter: Split a text column into several columns at a separator or pattern. - [Split a column at character positions](https://meridian.online/operations/split-a-column/split-at-character-positions): Split or cut a text column at fixed widths or given character positions. - Spread a list into columns: Turn the elements of an array, vector or collection column into one column each. - [Split text into a list](https://meridian.online/operations/split-a-column/split-text-into-a-list): Split a text value into one list value of its parts, in a single column. ## What other tools call it Meridian's classification; an independent blind rating agreed on 86.2% of 312 rows (exact class, version 2). - Alteryx Designer: [`Text To Columns`](https://help.alteryx.com/current/en/designer/tools/parse/text-to-columns-tool.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Duckle: [`Split`](https://github.com/slothflowlabs/duckle/blob/f85f8960edfb6efbf4cb89d58a7b32e16df0e867/website/docs/components.html) (read 2026-09-25) - Duckle: [`Text to Columns`](https://github.com/slothflowlabs/duckle/blob/f85f8960edfb6efbf4cb89d58a7b32e16df0e867/frontend/src/workflow-ui/palette-data.ts) (read 2026-09-25) - EasyMorph: [`Split delimited text into columns`](https://help.easymorph.com/doku.php?id=transformations:splitdelimitedtext) (read 2026-09-27) - EasyMorph: [`Split fixed width text`](https://help.easymorph.com/doku.php?id=transformations:splitfixedwidthtext) (read 2026-09-27) - AWS Glue: [`Array To Columns`](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/glue/latest/dg/transforms-array-to-columns.html) (read 2026-09-27) - AWS Glue: [`Split String`](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/glue/latest/dg/transforms-split-string.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Apache Hop: [`Split Fields`](https://hop.apache.org/manual/latest/pipeline/transforms/splitfields.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Apache Hop: [`String cut`](https://hop.apache.org/manual/latest/pipeline/transforms/stringcut.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Ibis: [`StringSplit`](https://github.com/ibis-project/ibis/blob/05d2b293344e86cb41c1a426071734f7e270335a/ibis/expr/operations/strings.py) (read 2026-09-27) - KNIME Analytics Platform: [`Cell Splitter`](https://api.hub.knime.com/nodes/*t8H2CJ_kkOGFnxyV?details=full) (read 2026-09-27) - KNIME Analytics Platform: [`Cell Splitter By Position`](https://api.hub.knime.com/nodes/*m1bkjcKm-b81Pkl6?details=full) (read 2026-09-27) - KNIME Analytics Platform: [`Expand Bit Vector`](https://api.hub.knime.com/nodes/*CuA62122JfsQmZx5?details=full) (read 2026-09-27) - KNIME Analytics Platform: [`Expand Byte Vector`](https://api.hub.knime.com/nodes/*2XP5wBPeTMz_Yp5s?details=full) (read 2026-09-27) - KNIME Analytics Platform: [`Nominal Probability Distribution Splitter`](https://api.hub.knime.com/nodes/*RYOewZqZ13MKDI15?details=full) (read 2026-09-27) - KNIME Analytics Platform: [`Split Collection Column`](https://api.hub.knime.com/nodes/*GyRUByJzWSm3AXGk?details=full) (read 2026-09-27) - OpenRefine: [`Split into several columns…`](https://openrefine.org/docs/manual/columnediting#split-into-several-columns) (read 2026-09-27) - OpenRefine: [`String parsing and splitting`](https://openrefine.org/docs/manual/grelfunctions#string-parsing-and-splitting) (read 2026-09-27) - Pentaho Data Integration: [`Split Fields`](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdia-data-integration/9.3-data-integration/pdi-transformation-steps-reference-overview) (read 2026-09-27) - Pentaho Data Integration: [`Strings cut`](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdia-data-integration/9.3-data-integration/pdi-transformation-steps-reference-overview) (read 2026-09-27) - Polars: [`Expr.str: split (group)`](https://docs.pola.rs/api/python/stable/reference/expressions/string.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Power Query M: [`Lines functions`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powerquery-m/lines-functions) (read 2026-09-27) - Power Query M: [`Splitter functions`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powerquery-m/splitter-functions) (read 2026-09-27) - Power Query M: [`Table.SplitColumn`](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powerquery-m/table-functions#transformation) (read 2026-09-27) - RapidMiner Studio: [`Split`](https://docs.rapidminer.com/latest/studio/operators/blending/values/split.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Apache SeaTunnel: [`Split`](https://seatunnel.apache.org/docs/2.3.13/transforms/split) (read 2026-09-27) - Tableau Prep: [`Automatic Split`](https://help.tableau.com/current/prep/en-us/prep_clean.htm) (read 2026-09-27) - Tableau Prep: [`Custom Split`](https://help.tableau.com/current/prep/en-us/prep_clean.htm) (read 2026-09-27) - Tableau Prep: [`Split Values`](https://help.tableau.com/current/prep/en-us/prep_clean.htm) (read 2026-09-27) - Talend: [`tExtractDelimitedFields`](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/components/8.0/processing/processing-component) (read 2026-09-27) - Talend: [`tExtractPositionalFields`](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/components/8.0/processing/processing-component) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Extract between positions`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Extract first`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Extract last`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Split Transform`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/wrangle-language/language-appendices/transforms.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Split at interval`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Split at positions`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Split between delimiters`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Split between positions`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Split on text or pattern`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - Trifacta: [`Split with multiple delimiters`](https://help.alteryx.com/aac/en/trifacta-classic/reference/transformation-reference.html) (read 2026-09-27) - VisiData: [`addcol-split`](https://github.com/saulpw/visidata/blob/7609212ec2febafa9caba7183cbebfaf49627909/visidata/features/regex.py#L138) (read 2026-09-23) - VisiData: [`split-col`](https://github.com/saulpw/visidata/blob/7609212ec2febafa9caba7183cbebfaf49627909/visidata/deprecated.py#L236) (read 2026-09-23)