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Account

An account is the record that represents a user identity in the system.

Terminology mastery

Account

People often say user and account as if they are always identical. They are related, but the account is the stored system record.

Pronunciation: uh-KOUNT Say it like: uh-KOUNT
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Plain meaning

An account is the stored system record for a user, including name, settings, and rules tied to that identity.

Explain it to a kid

An account is the computer's saved record for one user identity.

In plain words

An account is how the system stores and manages one identity.

Why learners confuse it

In everyday language, user and account blur together. In system language, account highlights the actual stored identity record.

Often confused with
  • user
  • group
Examples
  • A local account exists on one machine.
  • An admin account still should not be used carelessly.
Related topics
Users, Groups, and Permissions

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What to do next

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