useradd command

Definition:

• create a new user or update default new user information
  • set password with passwd command
• when user has no running processes
• Behaviours also effected by /etc/login.defs
• Admin should usually use adduser command instead.

Synopsis:

• useradd [options] LOGIN
  • LOGIN is the username
• …

List of options:

• -c, --comment COMMENT
  • comment value
• -d, --home-dir HOME_DIR
  • home directory of the new account
• -e, --expiredate EXPIRE_DATE
  • Set an expiration date for the user account, format YYYY-MM-DD
  • -m, --create-home
    • Create the user’s home directory if it does not exist. The files and directories contained in the skeleton directory (which can be defined with the -k option) will be copied to the home directory.
    • By default, if this option is not specified and CREATE_HOME is not enabled, no home directories are created.
• -s, --shell SHELL
  • login shell of the new account
• -u, --uid UID
  • user ID of the new account

Changing the default values

• When invoked with only the -D option, useradd will display the current default values.
• When invoked with -D plus other options, useradd will update the default values for the specified options. Valid default-changing options are:
  • …