Basic Linux File Permissions

[cguan_77]

hi guys, check out this blog for basic linux file permissions.
http://quickbytesstuff.blogspot.sg

[rubberman]

All well and good, being able to specify Linux/Unix file permissions with octal encodings, but these days there are much better options, such as the symbolic permissions supported by chmod, such as "chmod ugo+rw file/dirname", etc. Why force users to know octal permission encodings when they can use much simpler, and more easily understood, dialects? FWIW, I have been working with Unix since the early 1980's, and Linux since the 90's. I almost NEVER use octal encodings any longer for file/directory permissions any longer.

[cguan_77]

hi rubberman, agree with you setting up permissions for file. The best way to go is to use symbolic permissions. But setting up some configuration still does require the knowledge of the octal encodings (in my own opinion) like setting up Vstfpd, apache settings and etc.. But i'm not sure whether the new apache settings and vsftpd can also use symbolic permissions on their configuration.

[chriswelborn]

wow, i never knew how that worked. I always use the symbolic method (chmod +rw). So it's just a binary chart basically.

 R | W | X = 4 | 2 | 1
-----------------------
 x`| x |   = 4 + 2      = 6

that's awesome, and good to know.