How to Get the First and Last Line of a CSV File in PowerShell?

Today in a PowerShell training session, someone asked how to get the first and last line of a CSV file in PowerShell. It is quite useful and an interesting topic. In this tutorial, I will explain how to get the first and last line of a CSV file in PowerShell.

To get the first and last lines of a CSV file in PowerShell, you can use the Import-Csv cmdlet combined with Select-Object. First, read the CSV file into a variable using $csvData = Import-Csv -Path “C:\MyFolder\file.csv”. Then, retrieve the first line with $firstLine = $csvData | Select-Object -First 1 and the last line with $lastLine = $csvData | Select-Object -Last 1.

Get the First and Last Line of a CSV File in PowerShell

Let me show you how to get the first and last lines of a CSV file in PowerShell using various methods with examples.

Method 1: Using Import-Csv and Select-Object

One of the simplest ways to get the first and last lines of a CSV file in PowerShell is by using the Import-Csv cmdlet combined with Select-Object. Here’s how you can do it:

Syntax:

Here is the syntax:

$csvData = Import-Csv -Path "C:\MyFolder\file.csv"
$firstLine = $csvData | Select-Object -First 1
$lastLine = $csvData | Select-Object -Last 1

Here:

• Import-Csv: Reads the CSV file and converts it into a collection of custom objects.
• Select-Object -First 1: Selects the first object from the collection.
• Select-Object -Last 1: Selects the last object from the collection.

Example:

Now, let me show you an example.

Let’s say you have a CSV file named employees.csv with the following content:

Name,Department,Location
John Doe,Engineering,New York
Jane Smith,Marketing,San Francisco
Michael Brown,Sales,Chicago

You can also download this CSV file.

To get the first and last lines, you would use the below PowerShell script.

$csvData = Import-Csv -Path "C:\MyFolder\employees.csv"
$firstLine = $csvData | Select-Object -First 1
$lastLine = $csvData | Select-Object -Last 1

Write-Output "First Line: $($firstLine.Name), $($firstLine.Department), $($firstLine.Location)"
Write-Output "Last Line: $($lastLine.Name), $($lastLine.Department), $($lastLine.Location)"

I executed the above PowerShell script, and you can see the exact output in the screenshot below:

Check out Convert CSV to HTML Table in PowerShell

Method 2: Using Get-Content with Select-Object

Now, let me show you another method to get the first and last line of a CSV file.

You can use the Get-Content cmdlet, which reads the file as an array of strings. This method is particularly useful if you only need the raw text lines.

Syntax:

Here is the syntax:

$lines = Get-Content -Path "C:\MyFolder\file.csv"
$firstLine = $lines | Select-Object -First 1
$lastLine = $lines | Select-Object -Last 1

Here:

• Get-Content: Reads the content of the file and returns it as an array of strings.
• Select-Object -First 1: Selects the first line from the array.
• Select-Object -Last 1: Selects the last line from the array.

Example:

Let me show you an example.

We will also use the same employees.csv file above. Below is the complete PowerShell script.

$lines = Get-Content -Path "C:\MyFolder\employees.csv"
$firstLine = $lines | Select-Object -First 1
$lastLine = $lines | Select-Object -Last 1

Write-Output "First Line: $firstLine"
Write-Output "Last Line: $lastLine"

Here is the exact output in the screenshot below:

Check out Export Table to CSV in PowerShell

Method 3: Using Array Indexing

For those who prefer a more direct approach, you can read the file into an array and then access the first and last elements using array indexing.

Syntax:

$lines = Get-Content -Path "C:\MyFolder\file.csv"
$firstLine = $lines[0]
$lastLine = $lines[-1]

• Get-Content: Reads the file into an array of strings.
• $lines[0]: Accesses the first element of the array.
• $lines[-1]: Accesses the last element of the array.

Example:

Now, let me show you an example.

Again, using employees.csv:

$lines = Get-Content -Path "C:\MyFolder\employees.csv"
$firstLine = $lines[0]
$lastLine = $lines[-1]

Write-Output "First Line: $firstLine"
Write-Output "Last Line: $lastLine"

Here is the exact output you can see in the screenshot below:

Conclusion

In this tutorial, I explained how to access the first and last lines of a CSV file in PowerShell using various methods, like using Import-Csv, Get-Content, etc. For each method, I have also explained real examples.

You may also like the following tutorials:

• How to Convert JSON to CSV in PowerShell?
• Get Unique Values from CSV Using PowerShell
• Read CSV File Line by Line in PowerShell

Bijay Kumar

Bijay Kumar is an esteemed author and the mind behind PowerShellFAQs.com, where he shares his extensive knowledge and expertise in PowerShell, with a particular focus on SharePoint projects. Recognized for his contributions to the tech community, Bijay has been honored with the prestigious Microsoft MVP award. With over 15 years of experience in the software industry, he has a rich professional background, having worked with industry giants such as HP and TCS. His insights and guidance have made him a respected figure in the world of software development and administration. Read more.