Regular Ubuntu Linux users and the (lack of use of) root user

When you install Ubuntu Linux, you create a user, who is the “first” user and you can also create more users if you need to. When you create the “first” user, you assign a password to this user, and this is very important!

You need to log in to the desktop (at the Linux GUI login prompt) as a “normal” user (not root), and this password is also required in order to do the equivalent of logging in as the root user. when you are working at the Linux prompt, a terminal emulation window on the desktop.

By default, the use of root is not “enabled” (not available) in Ubuntu and therefore you cannot log in as this user, which is something innovative as it prevents anyone from logging in to the desktop as this user, what should Never done!

Linux sudo command execution example: to start working as root user

Type: sudo -i and then hit Enter to switch from working as a “normal” user to working as (the equivalent of) the root user in Ubuntu (and variations or derivatives, like Kubuntu – see more about this below).

And then provide the password of the first user that was created in the system. After running the Linux sudo command, the prompt changes from a dollar sign to a number or pound sign (press Shift 3). To “go back” to working as a “normal”, run the exit command by entering the command name and pressing the Enter key.

This version of Linux has its own “derivatives” (variations), and many of these end in “ubuntu”, like Kubuntu.

Linux command training tips: The ”
K“on
Kubuntu means ”
KDE “- is the”
K“on”
KFrom to
KDE desk.

The Ubuntu distribution uses the GNOME desktop by default and Kubuntu uses the KDE desktop by default.

Ubuntu Linux and its derivatives are some of the few distributions that require the use of the sudo command with the -i option as shown above, instead of using the su command with the – “dash” option and then typing the root password. .