chmod 774 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 774 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group read/write/execute, and everyone else read.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 | |||
| Group (g) | 7 | |||
| Others (o) | 4 |
chmod 774 filename
chmod 774 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
| Group (g) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
| Others (o) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
Is chmod 774 Safe?
Moderate
- Every member of the group can modify this file.
- Any user can read this file — never use it for secrets such as keys or .env files.
Common Use Cases
774 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 775.
chmod 774 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 774 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rwx,g=rwx,o=r filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 774 /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 774 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rwxrwxr-- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 003 makes new directories 774. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 774 mean?
chmod 774 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group read/write/execute, and everyone else read. In octal notation, the owner receives 7 (read/write/execute), the group receives 7 (read/write/execute), and others receive 4 (read).
Is chmod 774 safe?
chmod 774 is classified as Moderate. Every member of the group can modify this file.
What is chmod 774 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 774 is represented as rwxrwxr--. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rwx,g=rwx,o=r filename".
Related Permissions
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