Different outputs for `w`, `who`, `whoami` and `id`
In command line platforms online, like for instance the one on Codecademy, when I run
for cmd in w who whoami id
do
echo $cmd
$cmd
echo =========================
echo " "
done
I get
w
00:52:54 up 8 days, 14:10, 0 users, load average: 3.78, 2.98, 2.69
USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE JCPU PCPU WHAT
=========================
who
=========================
whoami
ccuser
=========================
id
uid=1000(ccuser) gid=1000(ccuser) groups=1000(ccuser)
=========================
Note that only whoami and id output something. When I run the same thing on my computer, I see similar results for all commands.
Why doesn't Codecademy display the user for w and who? What's different about these commands?
users who w whoami
asked 2 days ago
whoamiwhoami
433
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In command line platforms online, like for instance the one on Codecademy, when I run
for cmd in w who whoami id
do
echo $cmd
$cmd
echo =========================
echo " "
done
I get
w
00:52:54 up 8 days, 14:10, 0 users, load average: 3.78, 2.98, 2.69
USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE JCPU PCPU WHAT
=========================
who
=========================
whoami
ccuser
=========================
id
uid=1000(ccuser) gid=1000(ccuser) groups=1000(ccuser)
=========================
Note that only whoami and id output something. When I run the same thing on my computer, I see similar results for all commands.
Why doesn't Codecademy display the user for w and who? What's different about these commands?
users who w whoami
asked 2 days ago
whoamiwhoami
433
New contributor
whoami is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
In command line platforms online, like for instance the one on Codecademy, when I run
for cmd in w who whoami id
do
echo $cmd
$cmd
echo =========================
echo " "
done
I get
w
00:52:54 up 8 days, 14:10, 0 users, load average: 3.78, 2.98, 2.69
USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE JCPU PCPU WHAT
=========================
who
=========================
whoami
ccuser
=========================
id
uid=1000(ccuser) gid=1000(ccuser) groups=1000(ccuser)
=========================
Note that only whoami and id output something. When I run the same thing on my computer, I see similar results for all commands.
Why doesn't Codecademy display the user for w and who? What's different about these commands?
users who w whoami
asked 2 days ago
whoamiwhoami
433
New contributor
whoami is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
In command line platforms online, like for instance the one on Codecademy, when I run
for cmd in w who whoami id
do
echo $cmd
$cmd
echo =========================
echo " "
done
I get
w
00:52:54 up 8 days, 14:10, 0 users, load average: 3.78, 2.98, 2.69
USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE JCPU PCPU WHAT
=========================
who
=========================
whoami
ccuser
=========================
id
uid=1000(ccuser) gid=1000(ccuser) groups=1000(ccuser)
=========================
Note that only whoami and id output something. When I run the same thing on my computer, I see similar results for all commands.
Why doesn't Codecademy display the user for w and who? What's different about these commands?
users who w whoami
users who w whoami
asked 2 days ago
whoamiwhoami
433
New contributor
whoami is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
whoamiwhoami
433
New contributor
whoami is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited yesterday
whoami
asked 2 days ago
whoamiwhoami
433
New contributor
whoami is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 2 days ago
whoamiwhoami
433
asked 2 days ago
whoamiwhoami
433
433
New contributor
whoami is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
whoami is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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oldest
votes
idreports
- the current credentials of its own process; or
- the credentials of a named user, as read out of the system account database.
whoamireports the current credentials of its own process.
whoandwreport the active login sessions table from the login database.
BSD doco notes that whoami does a subset of the job of id, and that id renders it obsolete.
A system does not have to have an active login sessions table. On Linux operating systems and on the BSDs, if the table has not been created at bootstrap, or has been deleted since, the system will operate without one. Logging in and out does not implicitly create it on Linux operating systems, moreover.
Furthermore, the table need not be readable by unprivileged users and neither the who nor the w command will report this as an error.
Further reading
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). The Unix login database. Frequently Given Answers.
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). "login-update-utmpx". User Commands. nosh toolset.
- Lennart Poettering et al. (2018).
systemd-update-utmp.service. systemd manual pages. Freedesktop.org. - Is it necessary for a login-shell to create utmp entry?
- https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/409036/5132
answered 2 days ago
JdeBPJdeBP
37.2k476177
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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active
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votes
idreports
- the current credentials of its own process; or
- the credentials of a named user, as read out of the system account database.
whoamireports the current credentials of its own process.
whoandwreport the active login sessions table from the login database.
BSD doco notes that whoami does a subset of the job of id, and that id renders it obsolete.
A system does not have to have an active login sessions table. On Linux operating systems and on the BSDs, if the table has not been created at bootstrap, or has been deleted since, the system will operate without one. Logging in and out does not implicitly create it on Linux operating systems, moreover.
Furthermore, the table need not be readable by unprivileged users and neither the who nor the w command will report this as an error.
Further reading
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). The Unix login database. Frequently Given Answers.
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). "login-update-utmpx". User Commands. nosh toolset.
- Lennart Poettering et al. (2018).
systemd-update-utmp.service. systemd manual pages. Freedesktop.org. - Is it necessary for a login-shell to create utmp entry?
- https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/409036/5132
answered 2 days ago
JdeBPJdeBP
37.2k476177
add a comment |
idreports
- the current credentials of its own process; or
- the credentials of a named user, as read out of the system account database.
whoamireports the current credentials of its own process.
whoandwreport the active login sessions table from the login database.
BSD doco notes that whoami does a subset of the job of id, and that id renders it obsolete.
A system does not have to have an active login sessions table. On Linux operating systems and on the BSDs, if the table has not been created at bootstrap, or has been deleted since, the system will operate without one. Logging in and out does not implicitly create it on Linux operating systems, moreover.
Furthermore, the table need not be readable by unprivileged users and neither the who nor the w command will report this as an error.
Further reading
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). The Unix login database. Frequently Given Answers.
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). "login-update-utmpx". User Commands. nosh toolset.
- Lennart Poettering et al. (2018).
systemd-update-utmp.service. systemd manual pages. Freedesktop.org. - Is it necessary for a login-shell to create utmp entry?
- https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/409036/5132
answered 2 days ago
JdeBPJdeBP
37.2k476177
add a comment |
idreports
- the current credentials of its own process; or
- the credentials of a named user, as read out of the system account database.
whoamireports the current credentials of its own process.
whoandwreport the active login sessions table from the login database.
BSD doco notes that whoami does a subset of the job of id, and that id renders it obsolete.
A system does not have to have an active login sessions table. On Linux operating systems and on the BSDs, if the table has not been created at bootstrap, or has been deleted since, the system will operate without one. Logging in and out does not implicitly create it on Linux operating systems, moreover.
Furthermore, the table need not be readable by unprivileged users and neither the who nor the w command will report this as an error.
Further reading
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). The Unix login database. Frequently Given Answers.
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). "login-update-utmpx". User Commands. nosh toolset.
- Lennart Poettering et al. (2018).
systemd-update-utmp.service. systemd manual pages. Freedesktop.org. - Is it necessary for a login-shell to create utmp entry?
- https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/409036/5132
answered 2 days ago
JdeBPJdeBP
37.2k476177
idreports
- the current credentials of its own process; or
- the credentials of a named user, as read out of the system account database.
whoamireports the current credentials of its own process.
whoandwreport the active login sessions table from the login database.
BSD doco notes that whoami does a subset of the job of id, and that id renders it obsolete.
A system does not have to have an active login sessions table. On Linux operating systems and on the BSDs, if the table has not been created at bootstrap, or has been deleted since, the system will operate without one. Logging in and out does not implicitly create it on Linux operating systems, moreover.
Furthermore, the table need not be readable by unprivileged users and neither the who nor the w command will report this as an error.
Further reading
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). The Unix login database. Frequently Given Answers.
- Jonathan de Boyne Pollard (2018). "login-update-utmpx". User Commands. nosh toolset.
- Lennart Poettering et al. (2018).
systemd-update-utmp.service. systemd manual pages. Freedesktop.org. - Is it necessary for a login-shell to create utmp entry?
- https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/409036/5132
answered 2 days ago
JdeBPJdeBP
37.2k476177
edited 2 days ago
answered 2 days ago
JdeBPJdeBP
37.2k476177
answered 2 days ago
JdeBPJdeBP
37.2k476177
answered 2 days ago
JdeBPJdeBP
37.2k476177
37.2k476177
add a comment |
add a comment |
whoami is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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