cpython/Doc/lib/libpwd.tex

\section{\module{pwd} ---
         The password database}

\declaremodule{builtin}{pwd}
  \platform{Unix}
\modulesynopsis{The password database (\function{getpwnam()} and friends).}

This module provides access to the \UNIX{} password database.
It is available on all \UNIX{} versions.

Password database entries are reported as 7-tuples containing the
following items from the password database (see \code{<pwd.h>}), in order:
\code{pw_name},
\code{pw_passwd},
\code{pw_uid},
\code{pw_gid},
\code{pw_gecos},
\code{pw_dir},
\code{pw_shell}.
The uid and gid items are integers, all others are strings.
\exception{KeyError} is raised if the entry asked for cannot be found.

It defines the following items:

\begin{funcdesc}{getpwuid}{uid}
Return the password database entry for the given numeric user ID.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{getpwnam}{name}
Return the password database entry for the given user name.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{getpwall}{}
Return a list of all available password database entries, in arbitrary order.
\end{funcdesc}