useradd Vs. adduser

Linux is a popular open-source operating system that runs on a variety of hardware platforms, including desktops, servers, and smartphones. One of the key features of Linux is the command-line interface (CLI), which allows users to perform a wide range of tasks using text-based commands.

In this article, we’ll discuss the two commonly used commands for managing users in Linux, useradd and adduser. While they perform similar functions, they have some important differences that are important to understand.

useradd vs. adduser

useradd is a standard Linux command that is used to create new user accounts. It is available in all popular distributions of Linux, including Red Hat, Fedora, and Debian. The syntax for the useradd command is straightforward and easy to use. For example, to create a new user account with the username “sandy”, you would use the following command:

useradd sandy

This will create a new user account with the default settings, including the default home directory, shell, and group. To customize the user account, you can use additional options with the useradd command. For example, to specify a different home directory, you can use the -d option:

useradd -d /home/sandy sandy

This will create a new user account with the home directory set to /home/sandy.

adduser is a more advanced version of the useradd command that is commonly used in Debian-based distributions, such as Ubuntu and Debian. Like useradd, adduser is used to create new user accounts. However, it has a number of additional features that make it more convenient to use. For example, adduser automatically creates a home directory for the new user, and it also sets the default shell and group. Additionally, adduser can interactively prompt the user for additional information, such as the full name and password for the new user account.

The syntax for adduser is slightly different from useradd. To create a new user account with the username “sandy”, you would use the following command:

adduser sandy

This will interactively prompt you for additional information, such as the full name and password for the new user account. Once the information is entered, adduser will create the new user account with the default settings, including the home directory, shell, and group.

In addition to creating new user accounts, both useradd and adduser can also be used to modify existing user accounts. For example, to change the home directory for an existing user, you can use the following command:

usermod -d /home/sandy sandy

This will change the home directory for the user account “sandy” to /home/sandy.

When it comes to managing user accounts in Linux, both useradd and adduser have their own strengths and weaknesses. useradd is a straightforward and simple command that is easy to use. It is also widely available in all popular distributions of Linux. However, it lacks some of the convenience features of adduser, such as the ability to interactively prompt for additional information.

On the other hand, adduser is a more advanced version of useradd that is commonly used in Debian-based distributions. It has a number of additional features, such as the ability to interactively prompt for additional information, and the automatic creation of a home directory. However, it may not be available in all distributions of Linux.