---
name: "getent"
section: "1"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/getent"
---

# getent(1)

get entries from administrative database

## NAME

**getent** – get entries from administrative database

## SYNOPSIS

**getent** *database* \[*key* *...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **getent** program retrieves and displays entries from the administrative database specified by *database*. The order in which entries are looked up is defined by the specific database (for example, the lookup order for the “hosts” database is determined by [resolv.conf(5)](/resolv.conf/5.md)). The display format for a given *database* is as per the “traditional” file format for that database.

*database* may be one of:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| **Database** | **Display** **format** |
| ethers | address name |
| group | group:passwd:gid:\[member\[,member\]...\] |
| hosts | address name \[alias ...\] |
| passwd | user:passwd:uid:gid:gecos:home\_dir:shell |
| protocols | name protocol \[alias ...\] |
| rpc | name number \[alias ...\] |
| services | name port/protocol \[alias ...\] |
| shells | /path/to/shell |

If one or more *key* arguments are provided, they will be looked up in *database* using the appropriate function. For example, **passwd** supports a numeric UID or user name; **hosts** supports an IPv4 address, IPv6 address, or host name; and **services** supports a service name, service name/protocol name, numeric port, or numeric port/protocol name.

If no *key* is provided and *database* supports enumeration, all entries for *database* will be retrieved using the appropriate enumeration function and printed.

## EXIT STATUS

The **getent** utility exits with one of the following values:

- 0

  Success.

- 1

  There was an error in the command syntax.

- 2

  One of the specified key names was not found in *database*.

- 3

  There is no support for enumeration on *database*.

## SEE ALSO

[ethers(5)](/ethers/5.md), [group(5)](/group/5.md), [hosts(5)](/hosts/5.md), [passwd(5)](/passwd/5.md), [protocols(5)](/protocols/5.md), [rpc(5)](/rpc/5.md), [services(5)](/services/5.md), [shells(5)](/shells/5.md)

## HISTORY

A **getent** command first appeared in OpenBSD 3.9. It was based on the command of the same name in Solaris and Linux.