How to Execute Commands as Another User Using sudo

User Management

How to Execute Commands as Another User Using sudo

Hey there! 👋 If you're learning Linux, you've probably heard of the sudo command. It's short for "superuser do", and it's a powerful way to run commands with elevated privileges.

But did you know you can use sudo to run a command as a completely different user — not just the root user?

Let’s explore how to do that in a safe, clear, and beginner-friendly way.

🚀 The Basic Syntax


sudo -u <username> <command>

Here’s what each part means:

  • -u <username>: specifies the user you want to switch to
  • <command>: the command you want to run as that user

🎯 Example: Run a Command as Another User

Let’s say you want to list files in another user’s home directory using their permissions. Here's how you'd do it:


sudo -u john ls /home/john


file1.txt
project/
notes.md

This command tells the system: "Run the ls command on /home/john as if you were the user john."

💡 When Do You Use This?

Some common use cases include:

  • Running a script as a specific service account
  • Accessing user-specific files or settings
  • Debugging permission issues

🔐 What If You Don't Have Permission?

Just like regular sudo use, your system needs to be configured to allow you to run commands as other users.

If you try something you're not allowed to do, you might see:


Sorry, user yourname is not allowed to execute '/bin/ls /home/john' as john on hostname

This means your system admin hasn’t given you the right permissions in the /etc/sudoers file. You’d need to ask them for access.

⚙️ Example: Run a Script as Another User


sudo -u deploy bash /home/deploy/deploy.sh

This runs the deploy.sh script as the user deploy.

📌 Pro Tip

If you just want a full login shell for another user temporarily, you can use:


sudo -u username -i

This opens a shell session as that user. It's like temporarily logging in as them, without needing their password.

✅ Recap

  • sudo -u username command lets you run a command as another user
  • Great for system management, service accounts, or troubleshooting
  • Only works if your account is authorized to use sudo for that user

That’s it! 🎉 You now know how to use sudo to run commands as another user in Linux. Keep practicing, and you’ll become a Linux pro in no time.


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