How to Output holehe Results to a File: CSV Export and Redirection Guide

Use the --csv flag to automatically export holehe results to a timestamped CSV file, or redirect standard output to capture console results in a custom text file.

When running email reconnaissance with holehe, you often need to persist scan results for reporting, automation, or further analysis. According to the megadose/holehe source code, the tool provides two reliable methods for file output: a built-in CSV exporter activated by a command-line flag, and standard shell redirection for plain-text capture.

Using the Built-In CSV Exporter

The recommended approach leverages the --csv (or -C) flag defined in holehe/core.py at lines 92-94. This triggers the export_csv helper function (lines 54-65), which programmatically constructs a filename and writes structured data.

How the CSV Export Works

The export_csv function in holehe/core.py automatically generates a filename with this pattern:

holehe_<timestamp>_<email>_results.csv

Each result dictionary from the scan becomes a row in the CSV, preserving keys such as domain, exists, rateLimit, emailrecovery, phoneNumber, and others returned by individual modules.

Basic CSV Export Command

holehe user@example.com --csv

After completion, you'll see confirmation:

All results have been exported to holehe_1723987200_user@example.com_results.csv

The file appears in your current working directory and opens cleanly in Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or any data analysis tool.

CSV Export with Clean Console Output

When redirecting or logging, disable color codes and screen clearing for cleaner files:

holehe user@example.com --no-color --no-clear --csv

This combination ensures the CSV file is created while the terminal output remains readable without ANSI escape sequences.

Redirecting Standard Output to a File

For quick captures or when you need human-readable output rather than structured data, shell redirection captures exactly what appears in the terminal.

Basic Redirection

holehe user@example.com > holehe_user_example.txt

This preserves the formatted summary table produced by the print_result function in holehe/core.py, including color codes unless --no-color is specified.

Appending Multiple Scans

holehe first@example.com >> combined_results.txt
holehe second@example.com >> combined_results.txt

The >> operator appends rather than overwrites, building a cumulative log.

Clean Text for Documentation

holehe user@example.com --no-color --no-clear > report.txt

This produces plain text suitable for inclusion in security reports or ticket systems.

Renaming and Organizing CSV Files

Since holehe auto-generates filenames with timestamps, you may want to rename files for consistency:

holehe user@example.com --csv
mv holehe_*_user@example.com_results.csv investigations/january_scan.csv

For scripted workflows with predictable names:

TARGET="user@example.com"
holehe "$TARGET" --csv
LATEST=$(ls -t holehe_*_"${TARGET}"_results.csv | head -n1)
mv "$LATEST" custom_name.csv

Source Code Implementation Details

The CSV export functionality is implemented directly in holehe/core.py:

Component	Location	Purpose
--csv argument parser	Lines 92-94	Adds the -C/--csv flag to argparse
export_csv function	Lines 54-65	Writes result list to disk with timestamped filename

The export_csv function processes the results list returned by maincore, iterating through dictionaries and using Python's CSV writer to ensure proper escaping of special characters. This implementation guarantees that site responses with commas or quotes do not corrupt the output structure.

Comparison: CSV vs. Redirection

Approach	Best For	Data Structure	Post-Processing
--csv flag	Analysis, automation, reporting	Structured, columnar	Easy with pandas, spreadsheets
> redirection	Quick notes, screenshots, sharing	Human-readable lines	Manual parsing or grep
--csv + >	Complete archival	Both formats simultaneously	Maximum flexibility

Most security workflows benefit from using --csv as the primary capture method, with redirection reserved for logging or documentation purposes.

Summary

• Add --csv to any holehe command to generate a machine-readable CSV file with a timestamped filename containing all scan results
• Use > or >> shell operators to capture formatted terminal output when you need quick, human-readable logs
• Combine --no-color and --no-clear with either method to eliminate ANSI codes and screen-clearing sequences
• Reference holehe/core.py lines 54-65 and 92-94 to understand the underlying CSV export implementation

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I specify a custom CSV filename?

No, holehe automatically generates filenames with timestamps to prevent overwrites. Rename the file after generation using mv, or wrap the command in a script that handles renaming programmatically.

Does CSV export work when scanning multiple emails at once?

Yes, the --csv flag functions normally with any input format, but each invocation produces a separate CSV file. Batch multiple scans in a shell loop if you need consolidated results.

What columns appear in the CSV output?

The CSV contains all keys from result dictionaries returned by site modules, including: domain, exists, rateLimit, emailrecovery, phoneNumber, others, profile, and source—though specific fields vary by target site implementation.

Can I export to JSON instead of CSV?

Not natively. The export_csv function in holehe/core.py handles only CSV format. For JSON output, redirect console results and pipe through a converter, or modify the source code to add a parallel export_json function following the same pattern as lines 54-65.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}