CHROOT(1) User Commands CHROOT(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

chroot - run command or interactive shell with special root directory

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**chroot** \[*OPTION*]... *NEWROOT* \[*COMMAND* \[*ARG*]...]

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Run COMMAND with root directory set to NEWROOT.

[**--groups=G\_LIST**](#groups=G_LIST)

specify supplementary groups as g1,g2,..,gN

[**--userspec=USER:GROUP**](#userspec=USER:GROUP)

specify user and group (ID or name) to use

[**--skip-chdir**](#skip)

do not change working directory to '/'

[**--help**](#help)

display this help and exit

[**--version**](#version)

output version information and exit

If no command is given, run '"$SHELL" **-i**' (default: '/bin/sh **-i**').

## [Exit status:](#Exit_status:)

125

if the chroot command itself fails

126

if COMMAND is found but cannot be invoked

127

if COMMAND cannot be found

\-

the exit status of COMMAND otherwise

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by Roland McGrath.

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.  
Report any translation bugs to: <https://translationproject.org/team/>.  
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>  
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.  
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**chroot**(2)](/man/os/coreutils/chroot.2)

Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/chroot>  
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) chroot invocation'

October 2026 GNU coreutils 9.12

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Document: chroot(1) from coreutils 9.12-r7 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/coreutils.git