Quick Tip

Instantly Inspect File Permissions and Ownership with `stat`

Challenge: You need to quickly see the owner, group, permissions, and other metadata of a file or directory without cluttering your output with `ls -l`.

The Solution: Use the `stat` command.

stat <filename_or_directory>

Why it works: The `stat` command displays detailed information about a file’s status, including access permissions, ownership, size, and timestamps, in a structured and easy-to-read format.

Pro-Tip: For just the permissions in octal format, use `stat -c “%a” <filename_or_directory>`.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/4/2026