Quick Tip

Unmasking Hidden File Permissions with `stat`

Challenge: You need to quickly and precisely determine the ownership and permissions of a file or directory without digging through long `ls -l` outputs.

The Solution: Utilize the `stat` command with specific format specifiers.

stat -c "%U %G %a %n" filename

Why it works: The `-c` option allows you to specify a custom output format. `%U` displays the owner’s username, `%G` the group’s name, `%a` the octal permissions, and `%n` the filename, providing a concise overview.

Pro-Tip: For a quick human-readable permission string (like ‘rwxr-xr-x’), use `stat -c “%A %n” filename` instead.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 4/28/2026