Important Files for Users and Groups Permissions

Linux is a multi-user operating system. Understanding how to manage users, groups, and permissions is crucial for system security and administration.

List of important files

/etc/passwd

This file contains a list of all user accounts on the system, including their username, UID (User ID), GID (Group ID), home directory, and default shell.

/etc/shadow

This file stores the encrypted passwords for user accounts. It is only readable by the root user, which is a key security feature.

/etc/group

This file contains a list of all groups and their members.