Quick Tip

Quick File Permissions & Ownership with `stat`

Challenge: You need to quickly determine the ownership, permissions, and other essential metadata of a file without using multiple commands like `ls -l` and `id`.

The Solution: Utilize the `stat` command.

stat filename.txt

Why it works: The `stat` command provides a comprehensive overview of a file’s status, including its size, last access/modification times, user and group ownership, and octal and symbolic permission modes, all in a single, human-readable output.

Pro-Tip: Use `stat -c “%A %U %G” filename.txt` to get only the permissions, owner, and group in a custom format.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/2/2026