Quick Tip

Master `stat` for Instant File Ownership & Permissions

Challenge: You need to quickly check the ownership, permissions, size, and modification time of a file without relying on `ls -l` and its potentially verbose output.

The Solution: Utilize the `stat` command for concise file metadata.

stat 

Why it works: `stat` is designed to display file status in a structured and human-readable format, providing key information like access, modify, and change timestamps, along with owner and group details.

Pro-Tip: For a more compact view showing only essential information, use `stat -c “%n %U %G %s %y” ` to display filename, owner, group, size, and last modification time.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/1/2026