---
name: "ypinit"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ypinit"
---

# ypinit(8)

build and install NIS databases

## NAME

**ypinit** – build and install NIS databases

## SYNOPSIS

**ypinit** **-m** \[*domainname*\]

**ypinit** **-s** *master\_server* \[*domainname*\]

**ypinit** **-u** \[*domainname*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **ypinit** utility is a script which sets up databases on a Network Information Service (NIS) master or slave server.

On a master server, **ypinit** creates the */var/yp/$DOMAINNAME* directory, the */var/yp/ypservers* file, and calls */var/yp/Makefile* to create and populate an initial set of NIS maps. The maps are created from local source files using the [yp\_mkdb(8)](/yp_mkdb/8.md) utility. The utility will prompt the user for a list of servers that support the specified domain; this list is used to populate the ypservers map.

On a slave server, **ypinit** creates the */var/yp/$DOMAINNAME*, populates it with copies of the NIS maps from the master. The maps are obtained from the master using the [ypxfr(8)](/ypxfr/8.md) utility. The **ypinit** utility obtains the list of maps to transfer in one of two ways: if the system is configured as an NIS client and is bound to the master server, **ypinit** is able to use the [ypwhich(1)](/ypwhich/1.md) utility to obtain a list of maps exported by the master server. If the system is not configured as a client of the NIS master, **ypinit** uses a hardcoded list of maps, some of which may or may not actually exist on the master. The system administrator can edit the **ypinit** script and modify the map list if necessary. Otherwise, individual maps can be transferred manually from the master using [ypxfr(8)](/ypxfr/8.md).

## OPTIONS

The **ypinit** utility supports the following options:

- **-m** \[*domainname*\]

  Set up a master server. By default, **ypinit** sets up a server for the system default domain. The user can override this default by specifying *domainname* explicitly. Maps are constructed from scratch using local files as templates using the [yp\_mkdb(8)](/yp_mkdb/8.md) utility.

- **-s** *master\_server* \[*domainname*\]

  Set up a slave server using *master\_name* as the master. Maps are copied from *master\_server* to the slave using [ypxfr(8)](/ypxfr/8.md). By default, **ypinit** sets up a server for the system default domain. The user can override this default by specifying *domainname* explicitly.

- **-u** \[*domainname*\]

  Update the ypservers map on the master server. When a new slave server is added to a domain, its hostname must be added to the ypservers map so that [yppush(8)](/yppush/8.md) can propagate updates on the master to all of the slaves.

## FILES

- */etc/bootparams*

  Bootparams source file

- */etc/ethers*

  Ethers data source file

- */etc/eui64*

  EUI64 data source file

- */etc/group*

  Group source file

- */etc/hosts*

  Hostname/IP address source file

- */etc/netid*

  RPC netid source file

- */etc/networks*

  Networks source file

- */etc/protocols*

  Protocols source file

- */etc/publickey*

  RPC public key/secret key source file

- */etc/services*

  Services data source file

- */etc/shells*

  Shells source file

- */var/yp/master.passwd*

  Passwd database source file

- */var/yp/netgroup*

  Netgroup data source file

- */var/yp/ypservers*

  Ypservers source file (generated by **ypinit**)

## SEE ALSO

[mknetid(8)](/mknetid/8.md), [revnetgroup(8)](/revnetgroup/8.md), [yp(8)](/yp/8.md), [yp\_mkdb(8)](/yp_mkdb/8.md), [yppush(8)](/yppush/8.md), [ypserv(8)](/ypserv/8.md), [ypxfr(8)](/ypxfr/8.md)

## HISTORY

This version of **ypinit** is based on the **ypinit** script in OpenBSD. It first appeared in FreeBSD 3.0.

## AUTHORS

The original script was written by Mats O Jansson ⟨*moj@stacken.kth.se*⟩. It was modified for FreeBSD by Bill Paul ⟨*wpaul@ctr.columbia.edu*⟩.