Ubuntu List Users (List All Users on Ubuntu)

Linux distributions, like Ubuntu, are widely favored by developers working collaboratively in teams. Ubuntu, in particular, offers several benefits that make it a popular choice. Linux and its various distributions offer efficient operating systems with user-friendly environments and practical features, making them easy for local users and system administrators. 

This operating system distributes tasks among users, who are assigned to or removed from various groups as needed. For security and management purposes, the system administrator (or root user) must control the system, including access to a complete list of users and groups. This oversight ensures that users are added or removed correctly and that appropriate permissions or restrictions are applied.

This guide will walk you through the process of how to list all users on Ubuntu Linux and explore different methods to do so. Join us as we break down the steps for viewing users and groups, helping you manage the system smoothly and effectively. Let’s get started!

Ubuntu List Users (Step-by-Step Guide)

In Ubuntu, user information is stored in the /etc/passwd file. To view the list of users on your system, follow these simple steps:

Open the terminal window orpress Ctrl + Alt + T to launch the terminal.

View the Contents of the /etc/passwd File

You can use the cat command to display the entire file or navigate through it with more or less for easier scrolling:

$ cat /etc/passwd
$ less /etc/passwd
$ more /etc/passwd

These commands allow you to view all the registered users on your system. Each line in the /etc/passwd file corresponds to a specific user, so the total number of lines indicates the total number of users.

By following this guide, you can efficiently list and explore the users on your Ubuntu system.

List Users Ubuntu Using the cut Command

To display the usernames on Ubuntu, you can use the cat command in combination with the cut. This approach allows you to extract only the usernames, which appear in the first field of the /etc/passwd file. 

By piping the output of the cat with the cut command and specifying: as the delimiter, you can neatly list all usernames.

$ cat /etc/passwd | cut -d: -f1

This method ensures that only the usernames are shown in the password file's first column.

List Users Using the awk Command

The awk or mawk command works similarly to cut but provides more flexibility, especially for handling more complex text structures. awk is a powerful tool for extracting and processing data from streams or files. When used with /etc/passwd, it isolates and prints only the usernames from the first field.

$ cat /etc/passwd | awk -F: '{print $1}'

awk is particularly useful when working with more advanced text processing scenarios, offering greater control over the output compared to cut.

How to List Users on Ubuntu Using the getent Command?

The getent command allows you to access entries from administrative databases specified in the /etc/nsswitch.conf file. It can be used to retrieve information about users and groups from sources like files, LDAP, or NIS servers.

List All Users (Show Users Ubuntu)

To display all users on the system, you can use the following command:

$ getent passwd

To only show the usernames (first field), you can use the cut command to extract them:

$ getent passwd | cut -d: -f1

Using awk to Display Usernames

Another way to print the usernames is by using the awk command:

$ getent passwd | awk -F: '{print $1}'

Search for a Specific User with grep

If you need to search for a particular user, you can combine getent with grep. For example, to search for the username "samreena":

$ getent passwd | grep samreena

Check for a User Without grep

You can also directly look for a specific user by providing the username as an argument to getent:

$ getent passwd samreena

These methods make it simple to view and manage users on Ubuntu, whether you need to list all users or search for a specific one.

List the Number of Users on Ubuntu (Ubuntu User List)

To check how many users are registered on your Ubuntu system, you can use the following command:

$ getent passwd | wc -l

This command counts the total number of lines in the output from the getent passwd command, with each line representing a user.

Listing Logged-In Users with the who Command

The who command is a simple way to display logged-in users on Ubuntu. It provides details such as login time and the IP address if the user is connected via SSH.

To use it, just enter the following command in the terminal:

$ who

List Logged-In Users on Ubuntu

To see which users are currently logged into the system, simply enter the following command in your terminal:

$ w

This will display a list of all active users along with information about their sessions, such as login time and processes they are running. 

The w command shows currently active users along with additional details, such as:

• User: Username
• TTY: Terminal name
• From: Remote host
• Login@: Login time
• Idle: Idle time
• JCPU: CPU time used by processes on the terminal
• PCPU: CPU time used by the current process
• WHAT: The user’s active process

Alternatively, you can use the who command to list logged-in users, though it provides less detailed information than w.

Conclusion 

You’ve explored various commands to list users and groups on your Ubuntu system. These tools are essential for keeping track of logged-in users and managing team-based projects efficiently. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to share them in the comments. Best of luck!

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