usermod: Modify a user account
August 9th, 2024 1:20 PM Mr. Q Categories: Command
Command: usermod
The usermod command allows administrators to modify a user’s account details, such as changing the user’s home directory, adding the user to groups, or changing the user’s login name. This command requires superuser (root) privileges.
Sample Commands and Outputs:
usermod -aG groupname username: Adds a user to a group. Sample Command and Output:
$ sudo usermod -aG developers user1Description:
-aG: Appends the user to the specified group(s) without removing them from other groups.developers: The name of the group to which the user is being added.user1: The username of the account being modified.usermod -d /new/home/dir username: Changes the user’s home directory. Sample Command and Output:
$ sudo usermod -d /home/user1_new user1Description:
-d /new/home/dir: Specifies the new home directory for the user./home/user1_new: The new home directory.user1: The username of the account being modified.usermod -l newusername oldusername: Changes the username. Sample Command and Output:
$ sudo usermod -l newuser olduserDescription:
-l newusername: Specifies the new login name.newuser: The new username.olduser: The current username that is being changed.usermod -s /bin/zsh username: Changes the user’s default shell. Sample Command and Output:
$ sudo usermod -s /bin/zsh user1Description:
-s /bin/zsh: Specifies the new default shell for the user./bin/zsh: The path to the new default shell.user1: The username of the account being modified.usermod -e 2024-12-31 username: Sets an expiration date for the user account. Sample Command and Output:
$ sudo usermod -e 2024-12-31 user1Description:
-e 2024-12-31: Specifies the expiration date for the user account in YYYY-MM-DD format.user1: The username of the account being modified.
Note: The usermod command is a powerful tool for system administrators to manage user accounts and should be used with caution to ensure proper configuration and security of user accounts.