chmod 641 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 641 gives the owner read/write, the group read, and everyone else execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 6 | |||
| Group (g) | 4 | |||
| Others (o) | 1 |
chmod 641 filename
chmod 641 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 6 |
rw- |
Read and write | Can list names, cannot enter |
| Group (g) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
| Others (o) | 1 |
--x |
Execute only | Can enter (cd) but not list contents |
Is chmod 641 Safe?
Low Risk
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
641 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 640.
chmod 641 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 641 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rw,g=r,o=x filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 641 /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 641 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rw-r----x 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 136 makes new directories 641. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 641 mean?
chmod 641 gives the owner read/write, the group read, and everyone else execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 6 (read/write), the group receives 4 (read), and others receive 1 (execute).
Is chmod 641 safe?
chmod 641 is classified as Low Risk. Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
What is chmod 641 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 641 is represented as rw-r----x. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rw,g=r,o=x filename".
Related Permissions
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