addstr - Linux

Overview

addstr is a utility command used to add new users to the system. It provides a simple interface for creating new user accounts, setting their initial properties, and assigning them to groups.

Syntax

addstr [options] <username> [options]

Options/Flags

  • -h, --help: Display usage information.
  • -g, --group: Assign the user to a specific group. This option can be used multiple times to assign the user to multiple groups.
  • -H, --home: Set the user’s home directory.
  • -s, --shell: Set the user’s default login shell.
  • -c, --comment: Set a comment or description for the user.
  • -d, --create-home: Create the user’s home directory if it doesn’t exist.
  • -p, --password: Set the user’s password.
  • -m, --move-home: Move files from a temporary directory to the user’s home directory.

Examples

Creating a new user with default settings

addstr username

Creating a user with a custom home directory and shell

addstr -H /home/custom/username -s /bin/zsh username

Creating a user and assigning them to a group

addstr -g users username

Common Issues

  • Error: User already exists. The specified username already exists in the system. Choose a different username.
  • Error: Invalid group name. The group specified with the -g option does not exist. Verify the group name.
  • Error: Home directory not found. The home directory specified with the -H option does not exist. Create the directory before running the command.

Integration

addstr can be integrated with other Linux commands and tools to automate user management tasks. For example, you can use addstr within a script to create multiple users with custom settings.

Related Commands

  • useradd: Adds a new system user.
  • usermod: Modifies existing user account properties.
  • userdel: Deletes a system user.