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usermod

Introduction​

This cheat sheet provides a quick reference for common concepts and commands related to the usermod command in Linux. usermod is used for modifying user account properties, such as the user's home directory, login shell, and group memberships.

usermod Concepts​

User Modification​

usermod is primarily used for modifying existing user accounts.

  • Change User's Login Shell:

    sudo usermod -s /path/to/newshell username

  • Change User's Home Directory:

    sudo usermod -d /path/to/newhome username

  • Add User to Additional Groups:

    sudo usermod -aG groupname username

  • Remove User from a Group:

    sudo deluser username groupname

  • Change User's Login Name (caution: use with care):

    sudo usermod -l new_username old_username

  • Lock or Unlock a User Account:

    sudo usermod -L username   # Lock
    sudo usermod -U username   # Unlock

Password Management​

You can use passwd to manage user account passwords.

  • Change User's Password:

    sudo passwd username

  • Force User to Change Password on Next Login:

    sudo passwd -e username

User Information​

usermod also allows you to modify user information.

  • Modify User's Comment (GECOS) Field:
    sudo usermod -c "New comment" username

usermod Command-Line​

  • Change User's Login Shell:

    sudo usermod -s /path/to/newshell username

  • Change User's Home Directory:

    sudo usermod -d /path/to/newhome username

  • Add User to Additional Groups:

    sudo usermod -aG groupname username

  • Remove User from a Group:

    sudo deluser username groupname

  • Change User's Login Name:

    sudo usermod -l new_username old_username

  • Lock or Unlock a User Account:

    sudo usermod -L username   # Lock
    sudo usermod -U username   # Unlock

  • Modify User's Comment (GECOS) Field:

    sudo usermod -c "New comment" username

Conclusion​

This cheat sheet covers common concepts and commands for using the usermod command in Linux. usermod is a valuable tool for modifying user account properties, making it useful for user management and access control; refer to the usermod manual for more in-depth information and advanced usage.