SHELLS(5) | File Formats Manual | SHELLS(5)

# NAME

`shells` — shell database

# DESCRIPTION

The `shells` file contains a list of valid shells available on the system. A shell is a command line interpreter that reads user input and executes commands. For each shell a single line should be present, consisting of the shell's path, relative to root.

A hash mark (‘#’) indicates the beginning of a comment; subsequent characters up to the end of the line are not interpreted by the routines which search the file. Blank lines are also ignored.

The chpass(1) program will not let regular users change their default shell to one not listed in the `shells` file. The ftpd(8) daemon denies access to users who are not using one of the listed shells.

# FILES

/etc/shells

# SEE ALSO

chpass(1), login(1), getusershell(3), nologin(8)

# HISTORY

The `shells` file format appeared in 4.3BSD-Tahoe.

May 31, 2007 | Debian