Terminal-style illustration of Unix/Linux file permissions showing rwx toggles and octal chmod values.

Unix/Linux File Permissions

chmod permissions

Toggle read, write, and execute bits for user, group, and other. Special bits: setuid, setgid, and sticky.

Entry type

User

Group

Other

Special bits
Symbolic -rwxr-xr-x
chmod command chmod 755 file

In symbolic notation, s replaces x when setuid/setgid is set and execute is on; t replaces other execute when sticky is set.