chmod 200 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 200 gives the owner write, the group no access, and everyone else no access.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 2 | |||
| Group (g) | 0 | |||
| Others (o) | 0 |
chmod 200 filename
chmod 200 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 2 |
-w- |
Write only (rarely useful) | No practical effect without x |
| Group (g) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
| Others (o) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
Is chmod 200 Safe?
Restrictive
This permission configuration follows standard Linux access control principles with no elevated risk indicators.
Common Use Cases
200 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 600.
chmod 200 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 200 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=w,g=,o= filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 200 /path/to/dir
# Note: -R applies the same mode to files and directories. Use find to treat them separately:
find /path/to/dir -type f -exec chmod 200 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
--w------- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 577 makes new directories 200 and new files 200. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 200 mean?
chmod 200 gives the owner write, the group no access, and everyone else no access. In octal notation, the owner receives 2 (write), the group receives 0 (no access), and others receive 0 (no access).
Is chmod 200 safe?
chmod 200 is classified as Restrictive. It follows standard Linux access patterns.
What is chmod 200 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 200 is represented as -w-------. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=w,g=,o= filename".
Related Permissions
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