Becoming another user on a system (su command)

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You can change the user ID associated with a session (if you know that user's login name) by using the su (switch user) command.

For example, if you want to switch to become user joyce, at the prompt, type the following:

su joyce

If the password: prompt is displayed, type the password for user joyce. Your user ID is now joyce. If you do not know the password, the request is denied.

To verify that your user ID is joyce, use the id command.