Windows
Linux
Security & Permissions
Identity
Windows whoami /user equivalent in Linux
Prints the current user name.
Windows
→
whoami /user
Linux equivalents
id -un
id -un
id -un
Overview
What this command does
Prints the current user name.
Migration tip: Check the distro-specific rows before copying; package names and service names can differ even when the tool name is similar.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Show current username
Prints the current user name.
id -un
Show current username
id --help
Show command help when supported
man id
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
id -un
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: whoami /user
id -unReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
id -un | Show current username |
id --help | Show command help when supported |
man id | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
The equivalent is shown for Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch. Some rows use a different package manager or helper tool where Linux distributions commonly diverge.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | id -un |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | id -un |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | id -un |
Same command on this distribution. |
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