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Groupmod Command

The groupmod command enables the root user to modify a group's attributes such as its name, GID, and password. It modifies the appropriate entry in the group database. The groupmod syntax is "groupmod [options] GROUP" and options include -g to change the GID, -n to change the group name, and -p to change the password. The command exits with codes to indicate success or issues encountered.

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24 views

Groupmod Command

The groupmod command enables the root user to modify a group's attributes such as its name, GID, and password. It modifies the appropriate entry in the group database. The groupmod syntax is "groupmod [options] GROUP" and options include -g to change the GID, -n to change the group name, and -p to change the password. The command exits with codes to indicate success or issues encountered.

Uploaded by

Darko
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Linux groupmod command

Updated: 12/29/2017 by Computer Hope

• About groupmod
• groupmod syntax
• groupmod examples
• Related commands
• Linux and Unix commands help

About groupmod
Enables a superuser or root to modify a group.

Description
The groupmod command modifies the definition of the specified GROUP by modifying the
appropriate entry in the group database.

groupmod syntax
groupmod [options] GROUP

Options
-g, --gid GID The group ID of the given GROUP will be changed to GID.

The value of GID must be a non-negative decimal integer. This value must be
unique, unless the -o option is used.

Users who use the group as primary group will be updated to keep the group
as their primary group.

Any files that have the old group ID and must continue to belong to GROUP,
must have their group ID changed manually.

No checks will be performed with regard to the GID_MIN, GID_MAX,


SYS_GID_MIN, or SYS_GID_MAX from /etc/login.defs.

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

-n, --new-name
The name of the group will be changed from GROUP to NEW_GROUP.
NEW_GROUP

When used with the -g option, allow to change the group GID to a non-unique
-o, --non-unique
value.

The encrypted password, as returned by crypt.

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

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

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

Configuration
The following configuration variables in /etc/login.defs change the behavior of this tool:
MAX_MEMBERS_PER_GROUP (number)
Maximum members per group entry. When the maximum is reached, a new group entry (line) is started
in /etc/group (with the same name, same password, and same GID).
The default value is 0, meaning that there are no limits in the number of members in a group.
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.
Exit Values
The groupmod command exits with the following values:

0 success

2 invalid command syntax

3 invalid argument to option

4 specified group doesn't exist

6 specified group doesn't exist

9 group name already in use

10 can't update group file

groupmod examples
Tip: For this command to work you must have superuser rights or be logged in as root.
groupmod -n bettergroup newgroup

In the above example, the groupmod command would change the group "newgroup" to
"bettergroup".

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