User Directive

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Purpose

The User directive sets which user id the server will answer requests as.

This directive is only applicable if you are using a ServerType of standalone.

In order to use this directive, the standalone server process must be initially started as root.

This directive does not mean that the original daemon process will run as the given user, it means that the children which answer requests run as the given user.

Syntax

User id

id is one of:

A name
Refer to the given user by name.
# followed by a user number
Refer to a user by their number.

Only one User directive is allowed in the configuration file.

Virtual Host

Due to the limits of the Unix^(TM) security architecture, the server cannot run as more than one user with the current server model while maintaining sufficient security on other fronts.

Default

If you do not specify a User, HTTPd assumes:

User #-1

Compile Option: DEFAULT_USER

Examples

User nobody

This will cause the server to run as user nobody.

User #-2

This will cause the server to run as user number -2.

Return to Server Configuration File Overview

NCSA HTTPd Development Team / httpd@ncsa.uiuc.edu / 10-02-95