USERDEL(8) Maintenance Commands and Procedures USERDEL(8)

NAME

userdel - delete a user's login from the system

SYNOPSIS

userdel [-r] login

DESCRIPTION

The userdel utility deletes a user account from the system and makes the
appropriate account-related changes to the system file and file system.

OPTIONS

The following options are supported:

-r
Remove the user's home directory from the system. This directory
must exist. The files and directories under the home directory
will no longer be accessible following successful execution of the
command.

If the user's home directory is located on a separate ZFS file
system and the /etc/default/useradd file contains the parameter
MANAGE_ZFS set to the value YES, the file system will be destroyed.

OPERANDS

The following operands are supported:

login
An existing login name to be deleted.

EXIT STATUS

The following exit values are returned:

0
Successful completion.


2
Invalid command syntax. A usage message for the userdel command is
displayed.


6
The account to be removed does not exist.


8
The account to be removed is in use.


10
Cannot update the /etc/group or /etc/user_attr file but the login
is removed from the /etc/passwd file.


12
Cannot remove or otherwise modify the home directory.

FILES

/etc/default/useradd
configuration file for user and role administrative
commands


/etc/passwd
system password file


/etc/shadow
system file containing users' encrypted passwords and
related information


/etc/group
system file containing group definitions


/etc/user_attr
system file containing additional user attributes

SEE ALSO

auths(1), passwd(1), profiles(1), roles(1), passwd(5), prof_attr(5),
user_attr(5), attributes(7), groupadd(8), groupdel(8), groupmod(8),
logins(8), roleadd(8), roledel(8), rolemod(8), useradd(8), usermod(8),
zfs(8)

NOTES

The userdel utility only deletes an account definition that is in the
local /etc/group, /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, and /etc/user_attr file.
file. If a network name service is being used to supplement the local
/etc/passwd file with additional entries, userdel cannot change
information supplied by the network name service.

January 7, 2018 USERDEL(8)