endpwent - Linux


Overview

The endpwent command in Linux is used to terminate the iteration over entries in the system password database /etc/passwd. It is called at the end of a program that has used the functions getpwent(), getpwnam(), or getpwuid().

Syntax

endpwent()

Options/Flags

endpwent does not accept any options or flags.

Examples

To iterate over all user entries in the system password database:

#include <pwd.h>
#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
  struct passwd *pwent;

  setpwent();
  while ((pwent = getpwent()) != NULL) {
    printf("Username: %s\n", pwent->pw_name);
  }
  endpwent();
  return 0;
}

Common Issues

  • Error: endpwent(): Invalid argument

This error usually occurs when endpwent() is called without first calling setpwent(). Ensure that setpwent() is called before using getpwent() and endpwent().

Integration

endpwent can be used in conjunction with other commands that manipulate the system password database, such as passwd and adduser.

Related Commands

  • getpwent()
  • getpwnam()
  • getpwuid()
  • passwd
  • adduser