getusershell(3) Library Functions Manual getusershell(3)

getusershell, setusershell, endusershell - get permitted user shells

Standard C library (libc, -lc)

#include <unistd.h>
char *getusershell(void);
void setusershell(void);
void endusershell(void);
Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see feature_test_macros(7)):

getusershell(), setusershell(), endusershell():

    Since glibc 2.21:
        _DEFAULT_SOURCE
    In glibc 2.19 and 2.20:
        _DEFAULT_SOURCE || (_XOPEN_SOURCE && _XOPEN_SOURCE < 500)
    Up to and including glibc 2.19:
        _BSD_SOURCE || (_XOPEN_SOURCE && _XOPEN_SOURCE < 500)

The getusershell() function returns the next line from the file /etc/shells, opening the file if necessary. The line should contain the pathname of a valid user shell. If /etc/shells does not exist or is unreadable, getusershell() behaves as if /bin/sh and /bin/csh were listed in the file.

The setusershell() function rewinds /etc/shells.

The endusershell() function closes /etc/shells.

The getusershell() function returns NULL on end-of-file.

/etc/shells

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see attributes(7).

Interface Attribute Value
getusershell (), setusershell (), endusershell () Thread safety MT-Unsafe

None.

4.3BSD.

shells(5)

2023-10-31 Linux man-pages 6.7