The Unix command su, which stands for "substitute user" [1][2] (or historically "superuser" [3][4]), is used by a computer user to execute commands with the privileges of another user account.

Dec 10, 2025 · The su Linux command switches users and elevates privileges in a session. This guide shows how it works and when to use it.

Run a command with substitute user and group id, allow one user to temporarily become another user. It runs a command (often an interactive shell) with the real and effective user id, group id, …

Jun 1, 2025 · This page covers the GNU / Linux version of su. The su command, which is short for substitute user or switch user, enables the current user to act as another user during the …

Oct 8, 2024 · In this how-to guide, we will explore how to effectively use the su command in Linux with practical examples.

su is mostly designed for unprivileged users, the recommended solution for privileged users (e.g., scripts executed by root) is to use non-set-user-ID command runuser(1) that does not require …

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Nov 14, 2025 · The su command stands for "switch user." It allows a user to change their current user identity to another user. By default, if no username is specified, su will switch to the root …

The su (substitute user) command in Linux is used to switch to another user account within a terminal session. By default, it switches to the root user, allowing administrators to perform …

Feb 12, 2025 · The su command in Linux (short for Substitute User) allows you to switch from the current user to another user on a Linux system. By default, it switches to the root user, …