poweroff:tldr:61160

The command "poweroff --wtmp-only" is used to shut down the computer and update only the wtmp file. Let's break it down:

• "poweroff": This is the main command that instructs the computer to initiate a shutdown sequence and power off the system. It is used to safely turn off the computer.

• "--wtmp-only": This is an option that modifies the behavior of the "poweroff" command. The "--wtmp-only" flag tells the command to update only the "wtmp" file.

The "wtmp" file, short for "wtmpx" or "wtmp", is a log file that stores login and logout data of users. It keeps track of when users log in to the system and when they log out. The "--wtmp-only" option ensures that only the "wtmp" file is updated during the shutdown process, while other system logs or files are not modified.

Generally, when the system is shut down normally without any specific options, it updates various log files to record the event. By using "--wtmp-only", you can skip the update of other logs and solely update the wtmp file, which can be useful in certain scenarios where you want to maintain a complete and accurate record of user logins and logouts while minimizing other system logs.