---
name: "doas"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "opendoas"
version: "6.8.2-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/doas"
---

# doas(1)

execute commands as another user

## NAME

**doas** – execute commands as another user

## SYNOPSIS

**doas** \[**-Lns**\] \[**-C** *config*\] \[**-u** *user*\] *command* \[*args*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **doas** utility executes the given command as another user. The *command* argument is mandatory unless **-C**, **-L**, or **-s** is specified.

The user will be required to authenticate by entering their password, unless configured otherwise.

By default, a new environment is created. The variables HOME, LOGNAME, PATH, SHELL, and USER and the [umask(2)](/umask/2.md) are set to values appropriate for the target user. DOAS\_USER is set to the name of the user executing **doas**. The variables DISPLAY and TERM are inherited from the current environment. This behavior may be modified by the config file. The working directory is not changed.

The options are as follows:

- **-C** *config*

  Parse and check the configuration file *config*, then exit. If *command* is supplied, **doas** will also perform command matching. In the latter case either ‘permit’, ‘permit nopass’ or ‘deny’ will be printed on standard output, depending on command matching results. No command is executed.

- **-L**

  Clear any persisted authentications from previous invocations, then immediately exit. No command is executed.

- **-n**

  Non interactive mode, fail if the matching rule doesn't have the **nopass** option.

- **-s**

  Execute the shell from SHELL or */etc/passwd*.

- **-u** *user*

  Execute the command as *user*. The default is root.

## EXIT STATUS

The **doas** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs. It may fail for one of the following reasons:

- The config file */etc/doas.conf* could not be parsed.

- The user attempted to run a command which is not permitted.

- The password was incorrect.

- The specified command was not found or is not executable.

## SEE ALSO

[su(1)](/su/1.md), [doas.conf(5)](/doas.conf/5.md)

## HISTORY

The **doas** command first appeared in OpenBSD 5.8.

## AUTHORS

Ted Unangst ⟨*tedu@openbsd.org*⟩