How to Retrieve User IDs in Ubuntu Linux

Get UID for Users on Ubuntu Linux

As we’ve discussed, a UID is the number your system uses to identify users. Knowing this can be really helpful when you’re managing and tracking users on Ubuntu Linux.

To find your user ID, run the `id` command shown below.

id

You’ll see output similar to this:

uid=1000(richard) gid=1000(richard) groups=1000(richard),4(adm),24(cdrom),27(sudo),30(dip),46(plugdev),122(lpadmin),134(lxd),135(sambashare)

Use the lslogins command to find the User ID

The `lslogins` command helps you find multiple users’ user IDs or UIDs. When you use the `lslogins` command with the -u option, it lists all users’ IDs on the system.

Run the `lslogins` command below to list all UIDs on the system.

lslogins -u

This will show you lines like these:

UID  USER     PROC PWD-LOCK PWD-DENY LAST-LOGIN GECOS
0    root     205        0        1             root
1000 richard  80                    09:41       Richard

Get User IDs using the getent command

Another tool to display a user ID or UID is the getent command. You can use the command format below to see a user’s ID or UID.

getent passwd <username>

This command finds UIDs by looking at the information in /etc/passwd.

For example, If you want to know the UID of the user named geekrewind, you will run the command below.

getent passwd geekrewind

You should get a single line with the user’s UID. The third column is the UID of the user.

richard:x:1000:1000:Richard,,,:/home/richard:/bin/bash

There could be other ways to get a user ID or UID that are not listed above. However, the steps above should be a good starting point.

Conclusion:

• Understanding the concept of User ID or UID and its importance in Ubuntu Linux
• Learning multiple methods to retrieve User IDs for individual users and all users on the system
• Exploring commands like id, lslogins, and getent to obtain user IDs efficiently
• Enhancing user management and tracking capabilities on Ubuntu Linux through UID retrieval
• Encouraging further exploration and utilization of additional methods for obtaining user IDs or UIDs in Ubuntu Linux