# man > shells(5)

[_shells_(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/shells/5/markdown)                                File Formats Manual                               [_shells_(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/shells/5/markdown)

## NAME
       shells - pathnames of valid login shells

## DESCRIPTION
       _/etc/shells_  is  a  text  file which contains the full pathnames of valid login shells.  This
       file is consulted by [**chsh**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/chsh/1/markdown) and available to be queried by other programs.

       Be aware that there are programs which consult this file to find out if a user  is  a  normal
       user;  for  example,  FTP  daemons traditionally disallow access to users with shells not in‐
       cluded in this file.

## FILES
       _/etc/shells_

## EXAMPLES
       _/etc/shells_ may contain the following paths:

           _/bin/sh_
           _/bin/bash_
           _/bin/csh_

## SEE ALSO
       [**chsh**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/chsh/1/markdown), [**getusershell**(3)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/getusershell/3/markdown), [**pam_shells**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pamshells/8/markdown)

Linux man-pages 6.7                          2023-10-31                                    [_shells_(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/shells/5/markdown)