/etc/issue: Explanation & Insights

Message to display before login

The /etc/issue file is a system file found on many Unix-based operating systems that contains a message or a banner that is displayed to the user before they log in. The message can contain various system information such as the operating system name, version number, kernel version, hostname, and other details.

Here is an example of an /etc/issue file:

Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS \n \l

Welcome to Ubuntu!

* Documentation:  https://help.ubuntu.com
* Management:     https://landscape.canonical.com
* Support:        https://ubuntu.com/advantage

In this example, the /etc/issue file displays the operating system version along with some useful links.

This file can be modified by the system administrator to display a custom message or banner that is specific to their system.