Quick Tip

Unlock Instant File Metadata with `stat`

Challenge: You frequently need to check file permissions, ownership, size, or modification times in your Linux terminal, but don’t want to use `ls -l` and parse the output.

The Solution: Use the `stat` command for a clean and detailed view of file metadata.

stat your_file_or_directory

Why it works: `stat` directly retrieves and displays the inode information associated with a file or directory, providing a comprehensive set of metadata in a human-readable format.

Pro-Tip: Use `stat -c “%U %G %s %y” your_file` to quickly get just the owner, group, size, and last modification time.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/3/2026