v7 man page for passwd

PASSWD(5)							File Formats Manual							 PASSWD(5)

NAME
       passwd - password file

DESCRIPTION
       Passwd contains for each user the following information:

       name (login name, contains no upper case)
       encrypted password
       numerical user ID
       numerical group ID
       GCOS job number, box number, optional GCOS user-id
       initial working directory
       program to use as Shell

       This is an ASCII file.  Each field within each user's entry is separated from the next by a colon.  The GCOS field is used only when commu-
       nicating with that system, and in other installations can contain any desired information.  Each user is separated from the next by a  new-
       line.  If the password field is null, no password is demanded; if the Shell field is null, the Shell itself is used.

       This file resides in directory /etc.  Because of the encrypted passwords, it can and does have general read permission and can be used, for
       example, to map numerical user ID's to names.

FILES
       /etc/passwd

SEE ALSO
       getpwent(3), login(1), crypt(3), passwd(1), group(5)

																	 PASSWD(5)