How to create new users in linux from the command line

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Below, we will show you the steps to create new users in Linux directly from the command line.

How to create a new user in GNU/Linux

Before starting, you need SSH or terminal access to an account with superuser permissions. For example, the root account.

To create a new user, we will use the useradd command. The general syntax is:

useradd [options] username

In this manual, we will focus on the -m option, which allows creating a Home directory for the user, with the same name as their account.

Practical examples

• Create a user with a home directory:

useradd -m newuser

• Create a user without a home directory:

useradd newuser

How to assign a password to the new user

Assigning or changing a user's password is simple, as long as you do it as a superuser. The command is:

passwd username

When running it, you will be asked to:

1. Enter the desired password and press ENTER.
2. Repeat it again to confirm it for security reasons.

Important: During this process, the characters you type will not be displayed on the screen. This is normal; simply type the password carefully and press ENTER when you have finished.

How to assign or change a user's Home directory

If a home directory was not specified during user creation, or if you wish to modify the directory of an existing user, you can use the usermod command.

The general syntax is:

usermod -m -d /home/destinationdirectory/ username

• -d: Allows setting the path of the new home directory. Important: the directory must not exist previously.
• -m: Indicates that all content from the current directory should be moved to the new one. This is especially useful when modifying an already existing user.

How to delete a user

To delete a user, you need an account with superuser permissions, such as root.

The main command is userdel, whose general syntax is:

userdel [options] username

A widely used option is:

• -r: deletes the user's Home directory and mail spool.
  Example:

userdel  -r username

Full user management example

1. Create a user with their Home directory:

useradd -m testuser

2. Assign a password (characters will not be displayed on the screen):

passwd testuser

3. Switch to the user to verify their environment:

su  - testuser

4. Verify the current directory:

pwd

5. List the contents and permissions of their Home:

ls  -l

With this, you will be able to verify that the user was created correctly and that the permissions of their Home directory are properly configured.

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