Python | os.getuid() and os.setuid() method

OS module in Python provides functions for interacting with the operating system. OS comes under Python’s standard utility modules. This module provides a portable way of using operating system dependent functionality.

All functions in os module raise OSError in the case of invalid or inaccessible file names and paths, or other arguments that have the correct type, but are not accepted by the operating system.

os.getuid() method in Python is used to get the current process’s real user id while os.setuid() method is used to set the current process’s real user id.

User ID: In Unix-like operating systems, a user is identified by a unique value called user ID. User ID is used to determine which system resource a user is authorized to access.

Note: os.setuid() and os.getuid() methods are available only on UNIX platforms and functionality of os.setuid() method is typically available only to the superuser as only superuser can change user id.
Superuser means a root user or an administrative user who has all the permissions to run or execute any program in the operating system.

os.getuid() method

Syntax: os.getuid()

Parameter: No parameter is required

Return Type: This method returns an integer value which represents the current process’s real user id.

Code #1: Use of os.getuid() method

# Python program to explain os.getuid() method

# importing os module
import os

# Get the real user ID
# of the current process
# using os.getuid() method
uid = os.getuid()

# Print the real user ID
# of the current process
print("Real user ID of the current process:", uid)

Output:

Real user ID of the current process: 1000

os.setuid() method

Syntax: os.setuid(uid)

Parameter:
uid: An integer value representing new user ID for the current process.

Return Type: This method does not return any value.

Code #2: Use of os.setuid() method

# Python program to explain os.setuid() method

# importing os module
import os

# Get the real user ID
# of the current process
# using os.getuid() method
uid = os.getuid()

# Print the real user ID
# of the current process
print("Real user ID of the current process:", uid)

# Set real user ID
# of the current process
# using os.setuid() method
uid = 1500
os.setuid(uid)
print("Real user ID changed")


# Print the real user ID
# of the current process
print("Real user ID of the current process:", os.getuid())

Output:

Real user ID of the current process: 0
Real user ID changed
Real user ID of the current process: 1500