chmod 776 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 776 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group read/write/execute, and everyone else read/write.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 | |||
| Group (g) | 7 | |||
| Others (o) | 6 |
chmod 776 filename
chmod 776 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) | 6 |
rw- |
Read and write | Can list names, cannot enter |
Is chmod 776 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- 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
776 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 777.
chmod 776 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 776 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rwx,g=rwx,o=rw filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 776 /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 776 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rwxrwxrw- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 001 makes new directories 776. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 776 mean?
chmod 776 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group read/write/execute, and everyone else read/write. In octal notation, the owner receives 7 (read/write/execute), the group receives 7 (read/write/execute), and others receive 6 (read/write).
Is chmod 776 safe?
chmod 776 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 776 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 776 is represented as rwxrwxrw-. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rwx,g=rwx,o=rw filename".
Related Permissions
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