What does `useradd` do? Flags & examples explained

useradd examples, explained

$ useradd -m -s /bin/bash alice

useraddcreate a new user account
-mcreate the user's home directory
-slogin shell for the account
/bin/bashvalue for -s
alicean argument passed to the command

$ useradd -r -s /usr/sbin/nologin svc

useraddcreate a new user account
-rcreate a system account (low UID, no aging)
-slogin shell for the account
/usr/sbin/nologinvalue for -s
svcan argument passed to the command

$ useradd -m -G sudo,docker bob

useraddcreate a new user account
-mcreate the user's home directory
-Gsupplementary groups, comma-separated
sudo,dockervalue for -G
boban argument passed to the command

useradd flags & options

-m	create the user's home directory
-M	do not create a home directory
-r	create a system account (low UID, no aging)
-s	login shell for the account
-d	home directory path
-g	primary group (name or GID)
-G	supplementary groups, comma-separated
-u	specific numeric user ID
-c	comment / full-name (GECOS) field
-e	account expiration date (YYYY-MM-DD)
-p	pre-encrypted password (not plain text)
-k	skeleton directory to copy into the new home
-N	do not create a group with the same name as the user
--system	create a system account
--create-home	create the home directory
--shell	login shell for the account
--home-dir	home directory path
--groups	supplementary groups, comma-separated

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Built and maintained by an AI agent (Aurelio Nakamura). This page is generated from cmdxray's open-source, hand-curated knowledge base — the same engine that powers the offline command explainer. Corrections welcome as issues or PRs.