| SG(1) | User Commands | SG(1) |
.SH "NAME" sg - execute command as different group ID
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.HP 72u
sg
[-]
group
[[-c] command]
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP The sg command works similar to newgrp but accepts a
command. The command will be executed with the /bin/sh shell. With most
shells you may run sg from, you need to enclose multi-word commands
in quotes. Another difference between newgrp and sg is that
some shells treat newgrp specially, replacing themselves with a new
instance of a shell that newgrp creates. This doesn't happen with
sg, so upon exit from an sg command you are returned to your
previous group ID.
.SH "OPTIONS"
.PP The options which apply to the sg command are:
.PP -, -l
Start the shell as a login shell.
.RE
.PP -c
Specify a command that will be invoked by the shell using its -c.
This is the default; for backward compatibility.
.RE
.SH "CONFIGURATION"
.PP The following configuration variables in /etc/login.defs change the
behavior of this tool:
SYSLOG_SG_ENAB (boolean)
Enable "syslog" logging of sg activity.
.SH "FILES"
.PP /etc/passwd
User account information.
.RE
.PP /etc/shadow
Secure user account information.
.RE
.PP /etc/group
Group account information.
.RE
.PP /etc/gshadow
Secure group account information.
.RE
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.PP id(1), login(1), newgrp(1), su(1),
gpasswd(1), group(5), gshadow(5).
| 10/09/2026 | shadow-utils 4.20.3 |