Linux is the most powerful and versatile Operating system that provides robust user and group management capabilities. Groups in Linux play an important role in organizing and managing user permissions easily and efficiently. Adding user to group in Linux is a crucial task for System admins and users as well. Lets get into some of the methods to add a user to group in Linux,

Before adding people to group, let see a simple way to create a group in linux,

Using groupadd Command to Create Group in Linux:

The groupadd command is a easy way to create a new group in Linux. The basic syntax is as follows:

sudo groupadd <group_name>

Example:

sudo groupadd developers

This command creates a new group named “developers.”

Using the usermod Command:

The usermod command is a straightforward and common method used in adding a user to a group. The basic syntax is as follows:

sudo usermod -aG <group_name> <username>

This command adds the user specified in the command to the group without modifying any other group members. The -a flag ensures that the user is added to the group without removing any other memebers from other groups.

Example:

sudo usermod -aG developers john

This example adds the user “john” to the “developers” group.

Editing the /etc/group File:

For those who are terminal vim freaks and are comfortable with editing config files, the /etc/group file can be modified directly. However, caution is advised, as manual editing can lead to syntax errors if not done carefully.

The group information in the /etc/group file is structured in the below way,

group_name:x:GID:user_list

To add a user to a group, add the username to end of the user_list, in a comma seperated way.

Example:

sudo nano /etc/group

Add “john” to the “developers” group:

developers:x:1001:jane,jack,john

Save and exit the editor.

Using the gpasswd Command:

The gpasswd command is another command that simplifies the group management task. It provides an interactive way to manage group memberships.

To add a user to a group using gpasswd:

sudo gpasswd -a <username> <group_name>

Example:

sudo gpasswd -a john developers

This command adds “john” to the “developers” group.

Using the adduser Command:

In some of the Linux distros, the adduser command can be used to add a user to group during user creation. The syntax is,

sudo adduser <username> <group_name>

Example:

sudo adduser john developers

The above command creates the user “john” and adds them to the “developers” group.

Through the vigr Command:

The vigr command provides an interface to edit the /etc/group file in a safe and controlled manner. It opens the file in the system’s default text editor, allowing users to modify group members.

sudo vigr

Navigate to the desired group entry and add the username to the end of the user_list.

Example:

developers:x:1001:jane,jack,john

Save and exit the editor.

Conclusion:

Adding users to groups in Linux is a fundamental aspect of user and permission management. Whether it is using commandline tools like usermod, gpasswd, and adduser, or editing the /etc/group file directly, the goal is to give users the necessary permissions to perform their tasks effectively.