chmod 210 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 210 gives the owner write, the group execute, and everyone else no access.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 2 | |||
| Group (g) | 1 | |||
| Others (o) | 0 |
chmod 210 filename
chmod 210 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) | 1 |
--x |
Execute only | Can enter (cd) but not list contents |
| Others (o) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
Is chmod 210 Safe?
Low Risk
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
210 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 600.
chmod 210 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 210 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=w,g=x,o= filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 210 /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 210 {} +
# 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.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 567 makes new directories 210. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 210 mean?
chmod 210 gives the owner write, the group execute, and everyone else no access. In octal notation, the owner receives 2 (write), the group receives 1 (execute), and others receive 0 (no access).
Is chmod 210 safe?
chmod 210 is classified as Low Risk. Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
What is chmod 210 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 210 is represented as -w---x---. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=w,g=x,o= filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: