/etc/passwd Apr 2026

The path where the user is placed upon login.

Historically, this field held encrypted passwords. Today, for security reasons, it almost always contains an x , indicating that the actual hash is stored in the restricted /etc/shadow file. /etc/passwd

The unique number the kernel uses to identify the user (e.g., 0 for root). Group ID (GID): The primary group associated with the user. The path where the user is placed upon login