sudo
also: superuser do
A command that allows a permitted user to execute a program with the security privileges of another user, typically the root user, by entering their own password.
sudo (superuser do) is a program that enables users to run commands with elevated privileges, most commonly as the root user. It's a cornerstone of Linux security, allowing administrators to grant specific command privileges to regular users without sharing the root password.
When you run sudo command, the system checks the sudoers file (typically /etc/sudoers) to verify whether your user account is authorized to execute that command. If authorized, you enter your own password (not the root password), and the command runs with root privileges. This is logged for audit purposes.
Example: sudo apt update runs the package manager update as root, even though your user account lacks those privileges normally. Without sudo, you'd need to log in as root or know the root password—both poor security practices.
sudo is essential for system administration while maintaining security: users can perform necessary privileged tasks without having full root access, and administrators can grant granular permissions (specific commands to specific users) via sudoers configuration.