The skel directory
Directory /etc/skel/ (skel is derived from the “skeleton”) is used to initiate home directory when a user is first created. A sample layout of “skeleton” user files is as shown below:
# ls -lart /etc/skel total 32 drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Feb 4 2016 .mozilla -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 124 Feb 15 2017 .bashrc -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 176 Feb 15 2017 .bash_profile -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 18 Feb 15 2017 .bash_logout drwxr-xr-x. 3 root root 4096 Aug 22 2017 . drwxr-xr-x. 112 root root 12288 Feb 26 03:09 ..
Below is a sample /etc/defualt/useradd file which defines the skel directory. You can change the default location /etc/skel to any other location.
# cat /etc/default/useradd # useradd defaults file GROUP=100 HOME=/home INACTIVE=-1 EXPIRE= SHELL=/bin/bash SKEL=/etc/skel CREATE_MAIL_SPOOL=yes
You can also change the default base home directory (which is “/home” in the above example) to any other location.
Default permission of /etc/skel directory
– Default permission of /etc/skel is drwxr-xr-x.
– It is not recommended to change the permission of skel directory or its contents. Changing the permission may possibly break some of the program, because in skel directory there are some profiles that needs the permission of read and trying to give it permission of execute will cause some programs/profiles to work unexpectedly.