User management: command line vs GUI tools

Posted on in Categories News last updated February 27, 2006

Almost all Linux distribution comes with its own set of GUI tools to manage users and groups. For example:
* Red Hat comes with redhat-config-user
* Suse comes with Yast
* Debian Linux and other distro come with users-admin GUI tool set
* FreeBSD with sysinstall
* Solaris comes with Solaris Management Centre (SMC)

However, I recommend managing user accounts from command line. It offers following benefits over GUI tools:

  • Using commands from command line is faster
  • Automation is possible as per your requirements (use of Perl or shell scripting)
  • If you are going to use LDAP or NIS then command line provides best solution as compare to GUI tools

Posted by: Vivek Gite

The author is the creator of nixCraft and a seasoned sysadmin and a trainer for the Linux operating system/Unix shell scripting. He has worked with global clients and in various industries, including IT, education, defense and space research, and the nonprofit sector. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+.

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1 comment

  1. Yeah ok nice opinion. Now why don’t you back it up with a list of example commands to support your assertion that user-grp admin on the cli is the “faster,” “best” solution compared with GUI.

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