chmod 720 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 720 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group write, and everyone else no access.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 | |||
| Group (g) | 2 | |||
| Others (o) | 0 |
chmod 720 filename
chmod 720 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
| Group (g) | 2 |
-w- |
Write only (rarely useful) | No practical effect without x |
| Others (o) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
Is chmod 720 Safe?
Moderate
- Every member of the group can modify this file.
Common Use Cases
720 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 700.
chmod 720 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 720 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rwx,g=w,o= filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 720 /path/to/dir
# Note: -R applies the same mode to files and directories. Use find to treat them separately:
find /path/to/dir -type d -exec chmod 720 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rwx-w---- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 057 makes new directories 720. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 720 mean?
chmod 720 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group write, and everyone else no access. In octal notation, the owner receives 7 (read/write/execute), the group receives 2 (write), and others receive 0 (no access).
Is chmod 720 safe?
chmod 720 is classified as Moderate. Every member of the group can modify this file.
What is chmod 720 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 720 is represented as rwx-w----. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rwx,g=w,o= filename".
Related Permissions
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