---
name: "netid"
section: "5"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/netid"
---

# netid(5)

YP network credential file

## NAME

**netid** – YP network credential file

## DESCRIPTION

Files in **netid** format are rare. One lives in the YP map *netid.byname*. The format is rather simple. Each row consists of two items: a key and a value. When created by [mknetid(8)](/mknetid/8.md) there are three types of records.

The first type is information about which GIDs a UID has:

unix.⟨*uid*⟩@⟨*yp-domain*⟩ ⟨*uid*⟩:⟨*gid*⟩,⟨*gid*⟩

The second type contains information about hosts:

unix.⟨*hostname*⟩@⟨*yp-domain*⟩ 0:⟨*hostname*⟩

The third type refers to records from a **netid** file other than the two types above.

## FILES

- */etc/netid*

  for lines not generated automatically by [mknetid(8)](/mknetid/8.md)

## EXAMPLES

A configuration file might look like the following:

```
unix.10714@kaka 10714:400,10
unix.jodie@kaka 0:jodie
```

## SEE ALSO

[mknetid(8)](/mknetid/8.md), [yp(8)](/yp/8.md)

## AUTHORS

Mats O Jansson ⟨*moj@stacken.kth.se*⟩