How to Create and Manage Users in Ubuntu

Managing users is an essential task for administering a secure Ubuntu system. This guide walks you through creating users, setting passwords, assigning groups, and managing sudo privileges.

Step 1: Create a New User

Use the adduser command to create a new user:

Replace username with your desired name. You’ll be prompted to set a password and enter optional details.

Step 2: Add User to the Sudo Group

If the user needs administrative privileges, add them to the sudo group:

Step 3: Change a User's Password

To change the password for any user:

Step 4: List All Users

To view a list of all users on the system:

Step 5: Delete a User

To remove a user and optionally delete their home directory:

Step 6: Create and Manage Groups

Create a new group with:

Add a user to a group:

Step 7: View User Group Membership

To see which groups a user belongs to:

Conclusion

Creating and managing users in Ubuntu helps you organize permissions and secure your system. Always give minimal access and only add users to the sudo group when necessary.