Add a sudo user to an Ubuntu system

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sysadmin/add_sudo_user.md
Jan 25, 2019
System Administration 
# create a new user
# sudo useradd meowmeow -m -p '123badpassword'
sudo useradd meowmeow -m

# set password manually
sudo passwd meowmeow

# add to sudo 
sudo usermod -aG sudo meowmeow
  • -m or --create-home creates the user’s home dircetory
  • -p let’s you set the password
  • -k or --skel adds skeleton files to home dircetory (you need to pass an argument). e.g. useradd meowmeow -m -k '/etc/skel/*'
  • -aG will append the the user to (supplimentary) group(s)
# TEST sudo powers
su meowmeow # switch to meowmeow

sudo apt update # try a sudo command

# manually copying skel files
sudo cp -r /etc/skel/.* /home/meowmeow 

# remove the user and it's home dir
sudo userdel -r meowmeow