bash Cookbook

Running As a Non-root User

Problem

You’d like to run your scripts as a non-root user, but are afraid you won’t be able to do the things you need to do.

Solution

Run your scripts under non-root user IDs, either as you or as dedicated users, and run interactively as non-root, but configure sudo to handle any tasks that require elevated privileges.

Discussion

sudo may be used in a script as easily as it may be used interactively. See the sudoers NOPASSWD option especially. See Using sudo More Securely.

See Also

• man sudo

• man sudoers

• Writing setuid or setgid Scripts

• Using sudo More Securely

• Using Passwords in Scripts

• Using sudo on a Group of Commands