Introduction:

Ubuntu Linux is a powerful and widely-used operating system, known for its security and flexibility. One essential aspect of system administration is user management. Whether you are setting up a new system or maintaining an existing one, understanding how to add, remove, and modify users is crucial. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of managing users on Ubuntu Linux in 2023.

1. Adding Users:

To add a new user in Ubuntu, you can use the `adduser` command. Open a terminal and execute the following:

sudo adduser username

Replace “username” with the desired username. You will be prompted to set a password and provide additional information about the user.

To grant administrative privileges to the user, add them to the sudo group:

sudo usermod -aG sudo username

This allows the user to execute commands with superuser privileges.

2. Removing Users:

If you need to remove a user, you can use the `userdel` command. Be cautious, as this will delete the user’s home directory and all associated files.

sudo deluser username

Replace “username” with the actual username you want to remove. The `-r` option removes the user’s home directory.

3. Modifying Users:

To modify user attributes, the `usermod` command is your go-to tool. For example, to change the username, execute:

sudo usermod -l newusername oldusername

This changes the login name from “oldusername” to “newusername.”

If you want to change the user’s primary group, use:

sudo usermod -g newgroup username

Replace “newgroup” with the desired primary group.

Additionally, you can modify other attributes such as the user’s home directory or login shell using `usermod`.

4. Managing Passwords:

To force a user to change their password at the next login, use the `passwd` command:

sudo passwd –expire username

This will expire the password, and the user will be prompted to set a new one upon their next login.

5. Locking and Unlocking User Accounts:

To lock a user account and prevent login, use:

sudo passwd -l username

To unlock the account, use:

sudo passwd -u username

This is useful for temporarily disabling an account without removing it.

Conclusion:

Managing users on Ubuntu Linux is a fundamental skill for system administrators. Whether you’re adding new users, modifying existing ones, or removing obsolete accounts, the commands provided in this guide will help you efficiently handle user management tasks. Always exercise caution, especially when removing users to avoid unintentional data loss. With these tools at your disposal, you can confidently maintain a secure and organized user environment on your Ubuntu system in 2023.