Description¶

nss-systemd is a plug-in module for the GNU Name Service Switch (NSS) functionality of the GNU C Library (glibc), providing UNIX user and group name resolution for dynamic users and groups allocated through the DynamicUser= option in systemd unit files. See systemd.exec(5) for details on this option.

This module also ensures that the root and nobody users and groups (i.e. the users/groups with the UIDs/GIDs 0 and 65534) remain resolvable at all times, even if they aren't listed in /etc/passwd or /etc/group, or if these files are missing.

To activate the NSS module, add "systemd" to the lines starting with "passwd:" and "group:" in /etc/nsswitch.conf.

It is recommended to place "systemd" after the "files" or "compat" entry of the /etc/nsswitch.conf lines so that /etc/passwd and /etc/group based mappings take precedence.

Example¶

Here is an example /etc/nsswitch.conf file that enables nss-systemd correctly:

passwd:         compat mymachines systemd
group:          compat mymachines systemd
shadow:         compat

hosts:          files mymachines resolve [!UNAVAIL=return] dns myhostname
networks:       files

protocols:      db files
services:       db files
ethers:         db files
rpc:            db files

netgroup:       nis

See Also¶

systemd(1), systemd.exec(5), nss-resolve(8), nss-myhostname(8), nss-mymachines(8), nsswitch.conf(5), getent(1)