chmod 222 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 222 gives the owner write, the group write, and everyone else write.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 2 | |||
| Group (g) | 2 | |||
| Others (o) | 2 |
chmod 222 filename
chmod 222 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) | 2 |
-w- |
Write only (rarely useful) | No practical effect without x |
| Others (o) | 2 |
-w- |
Write only (rarely useful) | No practical effect without x |
Is chmod 222 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- Every member of the group can modify this file.
Common Use Cases
222 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 600.
chmod 222 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 222 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=w,g=w,o=w filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 222 /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 222 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
--w--w--w- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 555 makes new directories 222 and new files 222. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 222 mean?
chmod 222 gives the owner write, the group write, and everyone else write. In octal notation, the owner receives 2 (write), the group receives 2 (write), and others receive 2 (write).
Is chmod 222 safe?
chmod 222 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 222 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 222 is represented as -w--w--w-. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=w,g=w,o=w filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: