Python Library Reference

Previous: 6.11.1 Mutex Objects Up: 6. Generic Operating System Next: 6.13 curses

---

6.12 getpass -- Portable password input

The getpass module provides two functions:

getpass([prompt])

Prompt the user for a password without echoing. The user is prompted using the string prompt, which defaults to 'Password: '. Availability: Macintosh, Unix, Windows.

getuser()

Return the ``login name'' of the user. Availability: Unix, Windows.

This function checks the environment variables LOGNAME, USER, LNAME and USERNAME, in order, and returns the value of the first one which is set to a non-empty string. If none are set, the login name from the password database is returned on systems which support the pwd module, otherwise, an exception is raised.

---

Python Library Reference

Previous: 6.11.1 Mutex Objects Up: 6. Generic Operating System Next: 6.13 curses

---

Release 2.2.1, documentation updated on April 10, 2002.