Quick Tip

Quick File Permissions & Ownership with `stat`

Challenge: You need to quickly view the ownership and permissions of a file or directory without cluttering your terminal with `ls` output.

The Solution: Use the `stat` command.

stat filename_or_directory

Why it works: The `stat` command displays detailed information about files, including access permissions, ownership, size, and modification times, in a concise and easy-to-read format.

Pro-Tip: For just the permissions in a numeric (octal) format, use stat -c "%a" filename.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/16/2026