fgetgrent - Linux

Overview

fgetgrent retrieves a group entry from the group database. It is typically used in shell scripts or programs to obtain information about groups or group memberships.

Syntax

fgetgrent()

Options/Flags

This command has no options or flags.

Examples

Get the group entry for the "users" group:

$ fgetgrent users
users:*:100:jdoe,jsmith

Iterate through all group entries:

$ while read group; do
>   echo $group
> done < /etc/group

Common Issues

Error: fgetgrent: group database not found

This error occurs when the group database file (/etc/group) is missing or inaccessible. Ensure that the file exists and has the correct permissions.

Integration

Combine with xargs to perform actions on group members:

$ fgetgrent users | cut -d: -f4 | xargs echo
jdoe jsmith

Related Commands

• fgetent – Retrieve an entry from the environment database
• fgetpwent – Retrieve an entry from the password database
• getent – A generic utility to retrieve entries from various databases