chmod 201 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 201 gives the owner write, the group no access, and everyone else execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 2 | |||
| Group (g) | 0 | |||
| Others (o) | 1 |
chmod 201 filename
chmod 201 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) | 1 |
--x |
Execute only | Can enter (cd) but not list contents |
Is chmod 201 Safe?
Low Risk
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
201 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 600.
chmod 201 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 201 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=w,g=,o=x filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 201 /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 201 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
--w------x 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txt
umask Relationship
A umask of 576 makes new directories 201. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 201 mean?
chmod 201 gives the owner write, the group no access, and everyone else execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 2 (write), the group receives 0 (no access), and others receive 1 (execute).
Is chmod 201 safe?
chmod 201 is classified as Low Risk. Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
What is chmod 201 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 201 is represented as -w------x. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=w,g=,o=x filename".
Related Permissions
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