Back to main site | Back to man page index

GROUPADD(8)                                   System Management Commands                                  GROUPADD(8)



NAME
       groupadd - create a new group

SYNOPSIS
       groupadd [options] group

DESCRIPTION
       The groupadd command creates a new group account using the values specified on the command line plus the
       default values from the system. The new group will be entered into the system files as needed.

OPTIONS
       The options which apply to the groupadd command are:

       -f, --force
           This option causes the command to simply exit with success status if the specified group already exists.
           When used with -g, and the specified GID already exists, another (unique) GID is chosen (i.e.  -g is
           turned off).

       -g, --gid GID
           The numerical value of the group's ID. This value must be unique, unless the -o option is used. The value
           must be non-negative. The default is to use the smallest ID value greater than or equal to GID_MIN and
           greater than every other group.

           See also the -r option and the GID_MAX description.

       -h, --help
           Display help message and exit.

       -K, --key KEY=VALUE
           Overrides /etc/login.defs defaults (GID_MIN, GID_MAX and others). Multiple -K options can be specified.

           Example: -K GID_MIN=100-K GID_MAX=499

           Note: -K GID_MIN=10,GID_MAX=499 doesn't work yet.

       -o, --non-unique
           This option permits to add a group with a non-unique GID.

       -p, --password PASSWORD
           The encrypted password, as returned by crypt(3). The default is to disable the password.

           Note: This option is not recommended because the password (or encrypted password) will be visible by users
           listing the processes.

           You should make sure the password respects the system's password policy.

       -r, --system
           Create a system group.

           The numeric identifiers of new system groups are chosen in the SYS_GID_MIN-SYS_GID_MAX range, defined in
           login.defs, instead of GID_MIN-GID_MAX.

       -R, --root CHROOT_DIR
           Apply changes in the CHROOT_DIR directory and use the configuration files from the CHROOT_DIR directory.

CONFIGURATION

           This feature (split group) permits to limit the length of lines in the group file. This is useful to make
           sure that lines for NIS groups are not larger than 1024 characters.

           If you need to enforce such limit, you can use 25.

           Note: split groups may not be supported by all tools (even in the Shadow toolsuite). You should not use
           this variable unless you really need it.

       SYS_GID_MAX (number), SYS_GID_MIN (number)
           Range of group IDs used for the creation of system groups by useradd, groupadd, or newusers.

           The default value for SYS_GID_MIN (resp.  SYS_GID_MAX) is 101 (resp.  GID_MIN-1).

FILES
       /etc/group
           Group account information.

       /etc/gshadow
           Secure group account information.

       /etc/login.defs
           Shadow password suite configuration.

CAVEATS
       Groupnames may only be up to 32 characters long.

       You may not add a NIS or LDAP group. This must be performed on the corresponding server.

       If the groupname already exists in an external group database such as NIS or LDAP, groupadd will deny the
       group creation request.

EXIT VALUES
       The groupadd command exits with the following values:

       0
           success

       2
           invalid command syntax

       3
           invalid argument to option

       4
           GID not unique (when -o not used)

       9
           group name not unique

       10
           can't update group file

SEE ALSO