How to Delete Specific Lines from a File Using Line Numbers

When you're working with text files—be it config files, logs, or source code—you may need to delete specific lines based on their line numbers. This might sound intimidating, but it’s actually quite easy once you know which tool to use. In this post, we’ll walk through several methods to remove lines using line numbers, using command-line tools like `sed`, `awk`, and even Python. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned developer, there’s a solution here for you. --- ## The Basic Idea To delete a specific range of lines from a file: 1. Identify the **start line** and **end line**. 2. Use a tool or script to remove the lines between those numbers. 3. Save the changes back to the original file. Let’s break this down by method. --- ## 1. Using `sed` (Stream Editor) `sed` is a command-line utility that’s perfect for modifying files line-by-line. ### Basic Syntax ```bash sed 'START_LINE,END_LINEd' filename > temp_file && mv temp_file filename ``` - Replace `START_LINE` and `END_LINE` with actual numbers. - `d` tells `sed` to delete those lines. ### Example To delete lines 10 through 20: ```bash sed '10,20d' myfile.txt > temp_file && mv temp_file myfile.txt ``` ### With Variables ```bash START_LINE=10 END_LINE=20 sed "${START_LINE},${END_LINE}d" myfile.txt > temp_file && mv temp_file myfile.txt ``` 📚 [More on sed line deletion](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/sed-delete-line) --- ## 2. Using `awk` `awk` is a pattern scanning tool. It’s ideal for skipping specific lines. ### Syntax ```bash awk 'NR END_LINE' filename > temp_file && mv temp_file filename ``` ### Example ```bash awk 'NR 20' myfile.txt > temp_file && mv temp_file myfile.txt ``` This prints all lines **except** lines 10 through 20. 📚 [Learn more about awk](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13579929/how-to-delete-lines-from-file-with-sed-awk) --- ## 3. Using `head` and `tail` Perfect when you only need to chop lines off the start or end. ### Example Delete lines 10 to 20: ```bash head -n 9 myfile.txt > temp_file tail -n +21 myfile.txt >> temp_file mv temp_file myfile.txt ``` - `head -n 9` gets lines before line 10. - `tail -n +21` grabs everything from line 21 onward. 📚 [tail command explained](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/tail.1.html) --- ## 4. Using `perl` `perl` is great for more advanced file manipulation. ### Syntax ```bash perl -ne 'print unless $. >= START_LINE && $. temp_file && mv temp_file filename ``` ### Example ```bash perl -ne 'print unless $. >= 10 && $. temp_file && mv temp_file myfile.txt ``` - `$.` is the line number variable in `perl`. 📚 [Perl I/O Line Numbering](https://perldoc.perl.org/perlvar#%24.) --- ## 5. Using Python For full control or if you’re already using Python in your workflow: ### Example ```python start_line = 10 end_line = 20 with open("myfile.txt", "r") as file: lines = file.readlines() with open("myfile.txt", "w") as file: for i, line in enumerate(lines): if i end_line - 1: file.write(line) ``` Python is especially useful if you need to add logic or conditions around what gets deleted. 📚 [Working with files in Python](https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/inputoutput.html#reading-and-writing-files) --- ## Conclusion There are plenty of ways to delete lines from a file based on line numbers: - Use **`sed`** for simple, fast command-line editing. - Choose **`awk`** for conditional line selection. - Go with **`head`/`tail`** for edge-case trimming. - Try **`perl`** if you’re comfortable with regex and quick one-liners. - Opt for **Python** when you need logic-heavy, readable scripts. Explore [Nife.io](https://nife.io) for modern cloud infrastructure solutions, or check out [OIKOS](https://nife.io/oikos/features) to see how edge orchestration is done right. ---

How to Delete Specific Lines from a File Using Line Numbers

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