Here is what**sudo** is, a powerful command-line utility on Linux that allows users to execute commands with the privileges of another user, typically the root user. sudo is commonly used on Ubuntu and other Linux distributions to perform administrative tasks, such as installing software, managing services, and modifying system files.

In this article, we will provide a guide to understanding and using sudo on Ubuntu. We will explain how sudo works, how to use it to execute commands, and how to configure sudo to grant or restrict access to certain users and commands.

What is sudo?

sudo stands for “superuser do”, and it is a command-line utility that allows users to run commands with the privileges of another user. By default, the root user has full access to all files and commands on a Linux system, and sudo allows regular users to temporarily gain the same level of access.

For example, if you want to install a new package on Ubuntu using the apt command, you would typically need to use sudo to run the command with root privileges. Without sudo, the apt command would be unable to modify system files and install the package, because regular users do not have permission to perform these actions.

sudo apt install <package>

In this case, sudo allows you to run the apt install command with the privileges of the root user, so that you can install the package without any errors or permission issues.

How to Use sudo

To use sudo, you simply type sudo followed by the command that you want to run with root privileges. For example, to install a package using the apt command, you would use the following syntax:

sudo apt install <package>

When you run this command, sudo will prompt you for your password. This is to verify that you are an authorized user who is allowed to use sudo to run commands with root privileges. After you enter your password, sudo will execute the apt install command with root privileges, and the package will be installed on your system.

If you run a command with sudo and you do not have permission to use sudo, you will receive an error message saying “sudo: command not found” or “sudo: a password is required”. In this case, you will need to check with your system administrator to ensure that you have been added to the sudoers file and that you are allowed to use sudo on your system.

Christian Wells