Sudoedit: Let Root Use visudoo Instead of Directly Editing Files

Introduction

In this article, we will explore how to use the sudoedit command with visudo instead of directly editing files, particularly when using the Vim text editor. This is important because it can prevent users from accidentally editing files that they do not have permission to modify.

Why use sudoedit with visudo?

The sudoedit command is a safe way to edit system files because it creates a temporary copy of the file in the user's home directory, which can be edited with the user's preferred text editor. Once the user saves the changes and exits the editor, the temporary file is copied back to the original location, replacing the original file.

Using visudo with sudoedit is recommended because it provides an additional layer of safety by checking the syntax of the file before saving the changes. This can prevent errors that could potentially break the system.

How to use sudoedit with visudo

To use sudoedit with visudo, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal and type sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.
2. Make the necessary changes to the file.
3. Save the changes and exit the editor.
4. The changes will be saved to a temporary file in the user's home directory and then copied back to the original location.

Example

Suppose you want to allow a user named john to run the apt-get command with administrative privileges. Here's how you can do it using sudoedit with visudo:

1. Open a terminal and type sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.
2. Add the following line to the file: john ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/apt-get.
3. Save the changes and exit the editor.
4. The changes will be saved to a temporary file in the user's home directory and then copied back to the original location.

How to use sudoedit with Vim

To use sudoedit with Vim, follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal and type sudo -e /etc/file, where /etc/file is the file you want to edit.
2. Vim will open the file in temporary copy mode, which means that the changes will be saved to a temporary file in the user's home directory.
3. Make the necessary changes to the file.
4. Save the changes and exit the editor.
5. The changes will be saved to a temporary file in the user's home directory and then copied back to the original location.

Example

Suppose you want to edit the /etc/hosts file using Vim with sudoedit. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open a terminal and type sudo -e /etc/hosts.
2. Vim will open the file in temporary copy mode.
3. Make the necessary changes to the file.
4. Save the changes and exit the editor.
5. The changes will be saved to a temporary file in the user's home directory and then copied back to the original location.

Using sudoedit with visudo or Vim is a safe and recommended way to edit system files. It provides an additional layer of safety by creating a temporary copy of the file and checking the syntax before saving the changes. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can use sudoedit with visudo or Vim to make changes to system files with confidence.

References

• visudo man page

• Vim manual: sudo editing