Quick Tip

Unlock Instant File Metadata with `stat`

TITLE: Unlock Instant File Metadata with `stat`

Challenge: You need to quickly check a file’s ownership, permissions, size, or last modification time without resorting to lengthy `ls` commands or opening it in an editor.

The Solution: Use the `stat` command. It provides comprehensive file metadata in a concise, human-readable format.

stat filename

Why it works: The `stat` command is specifically designed to retrieve and display detailed information about a file’s inode, including its type, permissions, number of links, owner and group IDs, size, access, modification, and change times.

Pro-Tip: For a more terse, script-friendly output, use `stat -c ‘%n %F %s %U %G’` to see the filename, file type, size, owner, and group.

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