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2 ways to list users in Linux

There are many different ways to list all the users in Linux. In this blog post, we will discuss two of the most common methods. The first method is to use the “cat /etc/passwd” command. This command prints a list of all the users who are stored in the “/etc/passwd” file. The second method is to use the “who” command. This command prints a list of all the users who are currently logged into the system.Let’s take a closer look at each of these methods!

List users with cat /etc/passwd command in Linux

The “cat /etc/passwd” command is a very simple way to list all the users in Linux. All you need to do is type “cat /etc/passwd” into the terminal and press Enter. This will print a list of all the users who are stored in the “/etc/passwd” file.

The “/etc/passwd” file is a text file that stores information about all the users on a Linux system. Each line in the file represents a different user. The first field on each line is the username, the second field is the password, and the third field is the user’s ID number.

If you want to see more information about a specific user, you can use the “grep” command. For example, if you want to find out more about the user “bob”, you would type “grep bob /etc/passwd”. This will print all the lines in the “/etc/passwd” file that contain the word “bob”.

List users with who command in Linux

The “who” command is another way to list all the users in Linux. Unlike the “cat /etc/passwd” command, the “who” command only prints a list of users who are currently logged into the system.

To use the “who” command, simply type “who” into the terminal and press Enter. This will print a list of all the users who are currently logged into the system, as well as their login times and the name of the computer they are logged into.

If you want to see more information, you can use the “w” command.

So those are two of the most common ways to list all the users in Linux. If you want to see a complete list of users, use the “cat /etc/passwd” command. If you only want to see users who are currently logged in, use the “who” command.

What are the different types of users in Linux?

There are three types of users in Linux: regular users, system users, and superusers.

  • Regular users are just like normal users on other operating systems. They can login to the system and use it normally.
  • System users are special users who have been created to run specific tasks or services on the system. System users do not have normal login privileges and cannot login to the system directly.
  • Superusers are special users who have administrator privileges and can do anything they want on the system. Superusers can delete, add, or change any user on the system.

 

How can I become a superuser in Linux?

In order to become a superuser in Linux, you need to use the “sudo” command. This command will give you temporary administrator privileges. Once you have sudo privileges, you can type “sudo su” to become the root user.

What is the difference between a system user and a regular user?

A system user is a special user who has been created to run specific tasks or services on the system. System users do not have normal login privileges and cannot login to the system directly. A regular user is just like any other user on other operating systems. They can login to the system and use it normally.

How to add a new user to my Linux system?

To add a new user to your Linux system, you can use the “adduser” command. This command will add a new user to the “/etc/passwd” file and create a new home directory for them.

How to delete a user from my Linux system?

To delete a user from your Linux system, you can use the “deluser” command. This command will delete the user from the “/etc/passwd” file and remove their home directory.

How to change a user’s password in Linux?

To change a user’s password in Linux, you can use the “passwd” command. This command will change the user’s password to whatever you enter.

Did you find this blog post helpful? Let us know in the comments below! And if you have any questions, feel free to ask us and we’ll be happy to answer them.