Users

The adduser command

Creates a new user account. With -m it builds the home folder and copies the base files; it prompts for the rest interactively.

Syntax

adduser [opciones] <usuario>Try it in the terminal →

Most useful options

-mCreates the user's home folder
-sSets the login shell
-GAdds the user to extra groups
-dUses a different home folder
-cComment or full name (GECOS)

Copy-ready examples

$ sudo adduser anaCreates the ana account with its home
$ sudo adduser -m -s /bin/bash luisAccount with home folder and bash

You can try them in the browser terminal: it does not touch your computer.

Typical mistakes

  • It needs administrator rights: run it with sudo.
  • Valid names start with a letter or underscore; avoid uppercase and spaces.

Related commands

useraddpasswdgroups

FAQ

How does adduser differ from useradd?

adduser is a friendly wrapper that prompts and creates the home; useradd is the low-level command.

Is creating the user enough?

No: set a password with sudo passwd user so it can log in.

More Users commands

whoamiidsuuserdelgroupaddgroupdelgroupmodusermodSee the category →

Learn to actually use it

The basic Linux course takes you from zero to console fluency with 24 self-grading lessons.

Start the free course