getent

Get list of all groups

$ getent group

$ getent group [group_name]

$ getent services

$ getent passwd 1000

$ getent hosts [host]

getent database [key]

database
    Specifies the administrative database to query (e.g., passwd, group, hosts, services).

key
    An optional key to search for within the specified database. If omitted, getent will list all entries in the database.

The getent command in Linux is a powerful utility that retrieves entries from various administrative databases, such as the password database (passwd), group database (group), hosts database (hosts), services database (services), and others.

It provides a consistent way to access system configuration information regardless of the underlying data storage mechanism (files, NIS, LDAP, etc.). This abstraction simplifies scripting and system administration tasks.

getent queries the Name Service Switch (NSS) configuration, which determines the order in which different data sources are consulted. The NSS configuration is typically defined in /etc/nsswitch.conf. The command is essential for verifying user accounts, resolving hostnames, and checking other system-level settings. It is commonly used in scripts to automate system checks and configurations, ensuring that the correct information is used regardless of the environment.

The output format of getent varies depending on the database being queried and might not always be easily parsable by scripts. Be aware of potential security implications when querying sensitive information, such as passwords or shadow files, especially in scripts. Accessing some databases may require specific privileges.

• List all user accounts: getent passwd
• Get information for user 'john': getent passwd john
• List all groups: getent group
• Resolve the IP address of 'example.com': getent hosts example.com

nsswitch.conf(5), passwd(5), group(5), hosts(5), services(5)