Linux in a Nutshell, Third Edition

Name

useradd

Synopsis

useradd [options] [user]

Description

System administration command. Create new user accounts or update default account information. Unless invoked with the -D option, user must be given. useradd will create new entries in system files. Home directories and initial files may also be created as needed.

Options

-c comment

Comment field.

-d dir

Home directory. The default is to use user as the directory name under the home directory specified with the -D option.

-e date

Account expiration date. date is in the format MM/DD/YYYY. Two-digit year fields are also accepted. The value is stored as the number of days since January 1, 1970. This option requires the use of shadow passwords.

-f days

Permanently disable account this many days after the password has expired. A value of -1 disables this feature. This option requires the use of shadow passwords.

-g group

Initial group name or ID number. If a different default group has not been specified using the -D option, the default group is 1.

-G groups

Supplementary groups given by name or number in a comma-separated list with no whitespace.

-k [dir]

Copy default files to user’s home directory. Meaningful only when used with the -m option. Default files are copied from /etc/skel/ unless an alternate dir is specified.

-m

Make user’s home directory if it does not exist. The default is not to make the home directory.

-o

Override. Accept a nonunique uid with the -u option. (Probably a bad idea.)

-s shell

Login shell.

-u uid

Numerical ...