chmod 755 (rwxr-xr-x)
What chmod 755 does, who gets which permissions, and when to use it — with the exact commands.
| Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | ✔ read | ✔ write | ✔ execute |
| Group | ✔ read | — | ✔ execute |
| Others | ✔ read | — | ✔ execute |
Notes
When you'd use 755: The default for executables and directories: owner has full control, everyone can run the program or enter the directory but not modify it.
Unix permissions are octal digits — owner, group, others — where read=4, write=2, execute=1, summed per digit. An optional leading digit holds setuid (4), setgid (2) and the sticky bit (1). On a directory, "execute" means permission to enter it and reach files inside.
Other values: 400 · 444 · 500 · 555 · 600 · 640 · 644 · 664 · 666 · 700 · 711 · 750 · 770 · 775 · 777 · 1777 · 2755 · 4755
Frequently asked questions
What does chmod 755 mean?
chmod 755 sets the permission rwxr-xr-x. The owner can read and write and execute; Group members can read and execute; Everyone else can read and execute.
What is the symbolic notation for chmod 755?
rwxr-xr-x — three triplets (owner, group, others) of read/write/execute flags.
How do I apply chmod 755 to a whole directory?
Run chmod -R 755 yourdir to apply it recursively. Be careful: files and directories usually should not share the same mode (directories need execute to be entered, regular files usually should not be executable).