passwd(4)                 FILE FORMATS                  passwd(4)



NAME
     passwd - password file

DESCRIPTION
     The file /etc/passwd contains for each  user  the  following
     information:

          login name
          dummy password
          numerical user ID
          numerical group ID
          comment
          initial working directory
          program to use as shell

     passwd is an ASCII file.   Each  field  within  each  user's
     entry  is  separated  from the next by a colon.  The comment
     field can contain any desired  information.   Each  user  is
     separated  from  the next by a new-line.  If the shell field
     is null, /usr/bin/sh is used.

     This file has user login information and general  read  per-
     mission.   It  can  therefore  be  used, for example, to map
     numerical user IDs to names.

     The password field consists of the character x.  This  field
     remains  only  for compatibility reasons.  Password informa-
     tion is contained in the file /etc/shadow; see shadow(4).

FILES
     /etc/passwd
     /etc/shadow

SEE ALSO
     pwconv(1M),  useradd(1M),  usermod(1M),  userdel(1M),   sha-
     dow(4), group(4), unistd(4)
     a64l(3C), getpwent(3C),  putpwent(3C)  in  the  Programmer's
     Reference Manual
     login(1), passwd(1) in the User's Reference Manual
















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