Linux User Management Script

A Bash script for managing users and groups in Linux systems with an interactive menu interface. This script provides a simple and safe way to perform common user management tasks such as creating/deleting users and groups.

Features

• Create new users with customizable options
• Delete existing users and their home directories
• Create new groups
• Delete existing groups
• Interactive menu interface
• Built-in security checks
• Sudo privileges management
• Custom group assignment options

Requirements

• Linux operating system
• Root privileges (sudo access)
• Bash shell

Installation

1. Download the script:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kfiramar/manage_linux_users/main/user_management.sh

2. Make the script executable:

chmod +x user_management.sh

Usage

Run the script with sudo privileges:

sudo ./user_management.sh

Main Menu Options

1. Create a new user

   • Prompts for username
   • Creates user with home directory
   • Sets user password
   • Option to add sudo privileges
   • Alternative group assignment

2. Delete a user

   • Prompts for username
   • Confirmation required
   • Removes user and home directory

3. Create a group

   • Prompts for group name
   • Checks for existing groups

4. Delete a group

   • Prompts for group name
   • Confirmation required
   • Removes group from system

5. Exit

   • Safely exits the script

Security Features

• Root privilege verification
• Existence checks for users and groups
• Confirmation prompts for destructive actions
• Error handling for all operations
• Safe password setting process

Error Handling

The script includes comprehensive error handling for:

• Failed user creation
• Failed password setting
• Failed group operations
• Invalid inputs
• Insufficient privileges

Examples

Creating a New User with Sudo Privileges

$ sudo ./user_management.sh
1  # Select option 1
john  # Enter username
Password123  # Enter password
y  # Add sudo privileges

Creating a New User without Sudo Privileges

$ sudo ./user_management.sh
1  # Select option 1
jane  # Enter username
Password456  # Enter password
n  # Don't add sudo privileges
users  # Add to regular users group

Limitations

• Only works on Linux systems with standard user management commands
• Requires root privileges
• Does not support batch operations
• Limited to basic user/group management tasks

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to the branch
5. Create a new Pull Request

License

This script is released under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Author

Kfir Amar kfira2002@gmail.com

Version History

• 1.0.0 (2024-11-25)
  • Initial release
  • Basic user and group management features
  • Interactive menu interface

Acknowledgments

• Inspired by Linux system administration best practices
• Thanks to the Linux user management community

Support

For support, please open an issue in the GitHub repository or contact the author directly.

Best Practices

When using this script:

• Always backup important system files before making user management changes
• Use strong passwords for new users
• Be cautious when deleting users and groups
• Keep track of sudo privilege assignments
• Regularly audit user and group assignments