.TH PASSWD 5 
.SH NAME
passwd \- password file
.SH DESCRIPTION
.I Passwd
contains for each user the
following information:
.HP 10
name (login name, contains no upper case)
.br
.ns
.HP 10
encrypted password
.br
.ns
.HP 10
numerical user ID
.br
.ns
.HP 10
numerical group ID
.br
.ns
.HP 10
GCOS job number, box number, optional GCOS user-id
.br
.ns
.HP 10
initial working directory
.br
.ns
.HP 10
program to use as Shell
.PP
This is an ASCII file.  Each field within each user's entry
is separated from the next by a colon.
The GCOS field is used only when communicating with that
system, and in other installations can contain
any desired information.
Each user is separated from the next by a new-line.
If the password field is null, no password is demanded;
if the Shell field is null, the Shell itself
is used.
.PP
This file resides in directory /etc.
Because of the encrypted
passwords, it can and does have general read
permission and can be used, for example,
to map numerical user ID's to names.
.SH FILES
/etc/passwd
.SH "SEE ALSO"