CHROOT

Section: Linux Programmer's Manual (2)
Updated: 1997-08-21
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NAME

chroot - change root directory

SYNOPSIS

#include <unistd.h>

int chroot(const char *path);

DESCRIPTION

chroot changes the root directory to that specified in path. This directory will be used for path names beginning with /. The root directory is inherited by all children of the current process.

Only the super-user may change the root directory.

Note that this call does not change the current working directory, so that `.' can be outside the tree rooted at `/'. In particular, the super-user can escape from a `chroot jail' by doing `mkdir foo; chroot foo; cd ..'.

RETURN VALUE

On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned, and errno is set appropriately.

ERRORS

Depending on the file system, other errors can be returned. The more general errors are listed below:

EPERM: The effective UID is not zero.
EFAULT: path points outside your accessible address space.
ENAMETOOLONG: path is too long.
ENOENT: The file does not exist.
ENOMEM: Insufficient kernel memory was available.
ENOTDIR: A component of path is not a directory.
EACCES: Search permission is denied on a component of the path prefix.
ELOOP: Too many symbolic links were encountered in resolving path.
EIO: An I/O error occurred.

CONFORMING TO

SVr4, SVID, 4.4BSD, X/OPEN. This function is not part of POSIX.1. SVr4 documents additional EINTR, ENOLINK and EMULTIHOP error conditions. X/OPEN does not document EIO, ENOMEM or EFAULT error conditions. This interface is marked as legacy by X/OPEN.

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Time: 02:40:04 GMT, January 21, 2025