PASSWD

Section: File Formats (5)
Index Return to Main Contents
 

NAME

passwd - password file  

DESCRIPTION

Passwd contains for each user the following information:
name (login name, contains no upper case)
encrypted password
numerical user ID
numerical group ID
GCOS job number, box number, optional GCOS user-id
initial working directory
program to use as Shell

This is an ASCII file. Each field within each user's entry is separated from the next by a colon. The GCOS field is used only when communicating with that system, and in other installations can contain any desired information. Each user is separated from the next by a new-line. If the password field is null, no password is demanded; if the Shell field is null, the Shell itself is used.

This file resides in directory /etc. Because of the encrypted passwords, it can and does have general read permission and can be used, for example, to map numerical user ID's to names.  

FILES

/etc/passwd  

SEE ALSO

getpwent(3), login(1), crypt(3), passwd(1), group(5)


 

Index

NAME
DESCRIPTION
FILES
SEE ALSO

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Time: 10:15:58 GMT, December 28, 2024