1GROUPADD(8) System Management Commands GROUPADD(8)
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6 groupadd - create a new group
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9 groupadd [options] group
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12 The groupadd command creates a new group account using the values
13 specified on the command line plus the default values from the system.
14 The new group will be entered into the system files as needed.
15
17 The options which apply to the groupadd command are:
18 -f, --force
20 This option causes the command to simply exit with success status
21 if the specified group already exists. When used with -g, and the
22 specified GID already exists, another (unique) GID is chosen (i.e.
23 -g is turned off).
24 -g, --gid GID
26 The numerical value of the group´s ID. This value must be unique,
27 unless the -o option is used. The value must be non-negative. The
28 default is to use the smallest ID value greater than 999 and
29 greater than every other group. Values between 0 and 999 are
30 typically reserved for system accounts.
31 -h, --help
33 Display help message and exit.
34 -K, --key KEY=VALUE
36 Overrides /etc/login.defs defaults (GID_MIN, GID_MAX and others).
37 Multiple -K options can be specified.
38 Example: -K GID_MIN=100 -K GID_MAX=499
40 Note: -K GID_MIN=10,GID_MAX=499 doesn´t work yet.
42 -o, --non-unique
44 This option permits to add a group with a non-unique GID.
45 -p, --password PASSWORD
47 The encrypted password, as returned by crypt(3). The default is to
48 disable the password.
49 Note: This option is not recommended because the password (or
52 encrypted password) will be visible by users listing the processes.
53 You should make sure the password respects the system´s password
55 policy.
56 -r, --system
58 Create a system group.
59 The numeric identifiers of new system groups are choosen in the
61 SYS_GID_MIN-SYS_GID_MAX range, defined in login.defs, instead of
62 GID_MIN-GID_MAX.
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65 The following configuration variables in /etc/login.defs change the
66 behavior of this tool:
67 GID_MAX (number), GID_MIN (number)
69 Range of group IDs used for the creation of regular groups by
70 useradd, groupadd, or newusers.
71 MAX_MEMBERS_PER_GROUP (number)
73 Maximum members per group entry. When the maximum is reached, a new
74 group entry (line) is started in /etc/group (with the same name,
75 same password, and same GID).
76 The default value is 0, meaning that there are no limits in the
78 number of members in a group.
79 This feature (split group) permits to limit the length of lines in
81 the group file. This is useful to make sure that lines for NIS
82 groups are not larger than 1024 characters.
83 If you need to enforce such limit, you can use 25.
85 Note: split groups may not be supported by all tools (even in the
87 Shadow toolsuite). You should not use this variable unless you
88 really need it.
89 SYS_GID_MAX (number), SYS_GID_MIN (number)
91 Range of group IDs used for the creation of system groups by
92 useradd, groupadd, or newusers.
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95 /etc/group
96 Group account information.
97 /etc/gshadow
99 Secure group account information.
100 /etc/login.defs
102 Shadow password suite configuration.
103
105 Groupnames may only be up to 32 characters long.
106 You may not add a NIS or LDAP group. This must be performed on the
108 corresponding server.
109 If the groupname already exists in an external group database such as
111 NIS or LDAP, groupadd will deny the group creation request.
112
114 The groupadd command exits with the following values:
115 0
117 success
118 2
120 invalid command syntax
121 3
123 invalid argument to option
124 4
126 GID not unique (when -o not used)
127 9
129 group name not unique
130 10
132 can´t update group file
133
135 chfn(1), chsh(1), passwd(1), gpasswd(8), groupdel(8), groupmod(8),
136 login.defs(5), useradd(8), userdel(8), usermod(8).
137System Management Commands 07/24/2009 GROUPADD(8)