Section 0: adduser
This page was been converted automatically, from Debian GNU/Linux
man pages.
ADDUSER(8) ADDUSER(8)
NAME
adduser, addgroup - add a user or group to the system
SYNOPSIS
adduser [options] [--home DIR] [--no-create-home] [--uid
ID] [--ingroup GROUP | --gid ID] [--disabled-password]
[--gecos GECOS] user
adduser --system [options] [--home DIR] [--no-create-home]
[--uid ID] [--group | --ingroup GROUP | --gid ID] [--dis-
abled-password] [--gecos GECOS] user
adduser --group [options] [--gid ID] group
addgroup [options] [--gid ID] group
adduser [options] user group
COMMON OPTIONS
[--quiet] [--force-badname] [--help] [--version] [--conf
FILE]
DESCRIPTION
adduser and addgroup add users and groups to the system
according to command line options and configuration infor-
mation in /etc/adduser.conf. They are friendlier front
ends to the useradd and groupadd programs, choosing Debian
policy conformant UID and GID values, creating a home
directory with skeletal configuration, running a custom
script, and other features. adduser and addgroup can be
run in one of four modes:
Add a normal user
If called with one non-option argument and without the
--system or --group options, adduser will add a normal
user.
adduser will choose the first available UID from the range
specified for normal users in the configuration file. The
UID can be overridden with the --uid option.
By default, each user in Debian GNU/Linux is given a cor-
responding group with the same name and id. Usergroups
allow group writable directories to be easily maintained
by placing the appropriate users in the new group, setting
the set-group-ID bit in the directory, and ensuring that
all users use a umask of 002. If this option is turned
off by setting USERGROUPS to no, all users' GIDs are set
to USERS_GID. Users' groups can also be overridden from
the command line with the --gid or --ingroup options to
set the group by id or name, respectively.
adduser will create a home directory subject to DHOME,
GROUPHOMES, and LETTERHOMES. The home directory can be
overridden from the command line with the --home option.
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ADDUSER(8) ADDUSER(8)
The home directory's set-group-ID bit is set if USERGROUPS
is yes so that any files created in the user's home direc-
tory will have the correct group.
adduser will copy files from SKEL into the home directory
and prompt for finger (gecos) information and a password.
The gecos may also be set with the --gecos option. With
the --disabled-password option, the account will be cre-
ated but will be disabled until a password is set.
If the file /usr/local/sbin/adduser.local exists, it will
be executed after the user account has been set up in
order to do any local setup. The arguments passed to
adduser.local are:
username uid gid home-directory
Add a system user
If called with one non-option argument and the --system
option, adduser will add a system user.
adduser will choose the first available UID from the range
specified for system users in the configuration file. The
UID can be overridden with the --uid option.
By default, system users are placed in the nogroup group.
To place the new system user in an already existing group,
use the --gid or --ingroup options. To place the new sys-
tem user in a new group with the same ID, use the --group
option.
A home directory is created by the same rules as for nor-
mal users. The new system user will have the shell
/bin/false and have a disabled password. Skeletal config-
uration files are not copied. If adduser created the home
directory and a new group for the system user, it will set
the set-group-ID bit on the directory.
Add a system group
If adduser is called with the --group option, or addgroup
is called, a system group will be added.
A GID will be chosen from the range specified for system
UIDS in the configuration file. The GID can be overridden
with the --gid option.
The group is created with no users.
Add an existing user to an existing group
If called with two non-option arguments, adduser will add
an existing user to an existing group.
OPTIONS
--conf FILE
Use FILE instead of /etc/adduser.conf.
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ADDUSER(8) ADDUSER(8)
--disabled-password
Do not run passwd to set the password. The user
won't be able to use her account until the password
is set.
--force-badname
2By default, user and group names are required to
consist of a lowercase letter followed by zero or
more lowercase letters or numbers. This option
forces adduser and addgroup to be more lenient.
--gecos GECOS
Set the gecos field for the new entry generated.
adduser will not ask for finger information if this
option is given.
--gid ID
When creating a group, this option forces the new
groupid to be the given number. When creating a
user, this option will put the user in that group.
--group
When combined with --system, a group with the same
name and ID as the system user is created. If not
combined with --system, a group with the given name
is created. This is the default action if the pro-
gram is invoked as addgroup.
--help Display brief instructions.
--home DIR
Use DIR as the user's home directory, rather than
the default specified by the configuration file.
If the directory does not exist, it is created and
skeleton files are copied.
--ingroup GROUP
Add the new user to GROUP instead of a usergroup or
the default group defined by USERS_GID in the
adduser.conf file.
--no-create-home
Do not create the home directory, even if it
doesn't exist.
--quiet
Suppress progress messages.
--system
Create a system user.
--uid ID
Force the new userid to be the given number.
adduser will fail if the userid is already taken.
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ADDUSER(8) ADDUSER(8)
--version
Display version and copyright information.
FILES
/etc/adduser.conf
SEE ALSO
adduser.conf(5), useradd(8), groupadd(8)
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 1997, 1998, 1999 Guy Maor.
Copyright (C) 1995 Ted Hajek, with a great deal borrowed
from the original Debian adduser
Copyright (C) 1994 Ian Murdock. adduser is free software;
see the GNU General Public Licence version 2 or later for
copying conditions. There is no warranty.
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