---
name: "endpwent"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/getpwent"
---

# endpwent(3)

get password file entry

Part of [getpwent(3)](/getpwent/3.md).

## NAME

getpwent, setpwent, endpwent - get password file entry

## LIBRARY

Standard C library (*libc*, *-lc*)

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <pwd.h>
```

**struct passwd \*getpwent(void);** **void setpwent(void);** **void endpwent(void);**

Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see [**feature\_test\_macros**(7)](/feature_test_macros/7.md)):

**getpwent**(), **setpwent**(), **endpwent**():

```
    _XOPEN_SOURCE >= 500
        || /* glibc >= 2.19: */ _DEFAULT_SOURCE
        || /* glibc <= 2.19: */ _BSD_SOURCE || _SVID_SOURCE
```

## DESCRIPTION

The **getpwent**() function returns a pointer to a structure containing the broken-out fields of a record from the password database (e.g., the local password file */etc/passwd*, NIS, and LDAP). The first time **getpwent**() is called, it returns the first entry; thereafter, it returns successive entries.

The **setpwent**() function rewinds to the beginning of the password database.

The **endpwent**() function is used to close the password database after all processing has been performed.

The *passwd* structure is defined in *\<pwd.h\>* as follows:

```
struct passwd {
    char   *pw_name;       /* username */
    char   *pw_passwd;     /* user password */
    uid_t   pw_uid;        /* user ID */
    gid_t   pw_gid;        /* group ID */
    char   *pw_gecos;      /* user information */
    char   *pw_dir;        /* home directory */
    char   *pw_shell;      /* shell program */
};
```

For more information about the fields of this structure, see [**passwd**(5)](/passwd/5.md).

## RETURN VALUE

The **getpwent**() function returns a pointer to a *passwd* structure, or NULL if there are no more entries or an error occurred. If an error occurs, *errno* is set to indicate the error. If one wants to check *errno* after the call, it should be set to zero before the call.

The return value may point to a static area, and may be overwritten by subsequent calls to **getpwent**(), [**getpwnam**(3)](/getpwnam/3.md), or [**getpwuid**(3)](/getpwuid/3.md). (Do not pass the returned pointer to [**free**(3)](/free/3.md).)

## ERRORS

- **EINTR**

  A signal was caught; see [**signal**(7)](/signal/7.md).

- **EIO**

  I/O error.

- **EMFILE**

  The per-process limit on the number of open file descriptors has been reached.

- **ENFILE**

  The system-wide limit on the total number of open files has been reached.

- **ENOMEM**

  Insufficient memory to allocate *passwd* structure.

- **ERANGE**

  Insufficient buffer space supplied.

## FILES

- */etc/passwd*

  local password database file

## ATTRIBUTES

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see [**attributes**(7)](/attributes/7.md).

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Interface** | **Attribute** | **Value** |
| **getpwent**() | Thread safety | MT-Unsafe race:pwent race:pwentbuf locale |
| **setpwent**(), **endpwent**() | Thread safety | MT-Unsafe race:pwent locale |

In the above table, *pwent* in *race:pwent* signifies that if any of the functions **setpwent**(), **getpwent**(), or **endpwent**() are used in parallel in different threads of a program, then data races could occur.

## VERSIONS

The *pw\_gecos* field is not specified in POSIX, but is present on most implementations.

## STANDARDS

POSIX.1-2008.

## HISTORY

POSIX.1-2001, SVr4, 4.3BSD.

## SEE ALSO

[**fgetpwent**(3)](/fgetpwent/3.md), [**getpw**(3)](/getpw/3.md), [**getpwent\_r**(3)](/getpwent_r/3.md), [**getpwnam**(3)](/getpwnam/3.md), [**getpwuid**(3)](/getpwuid/3.md), [**putpwent**(3)](/putpwent/3.md), [**passwd**(5)](/passwd/5.md)