File permissions·565
565
r-xrw-r-x
-r-xrw-r-x

chmod 565 — the r-xrw-r-x permission

565 is r-xrw-r-x. The owner gets rx, and everyone else gets rx.

Who can do what

Three rows for owner, group and others; three columns for read, write and execute. On a folder that last one means the right to go inside.

ReadWriteExecute
Owner5·
Group6·
Others5·

On a folder the execute bit means going inside. With read but no execute you can list the names yet open nothing in it.

Symbolic
r-xrw-r-x
ls -l (file)
-r-xrw-r-x
ls -l (directory)
dr-xrw-r-x
chmod symbolic form
chmod u=rx,g=rw,o=rx
Command
chmod 565 <file>
Binary
101110101
Decimal
373
umask (directory)
212
umask (file)
Not reachable — new files never start with the execute bit

One digit away

How to read this

  • Read is 4, write 2, execute 1; add them for one digit. 7 is 4+2+1, 5 is 4+1.
  • The digits are owner, group, others, left to right.
  • umask is what gets taken away: from 777 for directories, from 666 for files.
  • Special bits (setuid 4000, setgid 2000, sticky 1000) add a fourth digit in front — /tmp is 1777.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What does chmod 565 mean?

It is r-xrw-r-x. ls -l shows a file as -r-xrw-r-x and a directory as dr-xrw-r-x.

Q. How is 565 written in rwx form?

It is the same as chmod u=rx,g=rw,o=rx.

Q. What can other people do with 565?

They get r-x.

Q. Which umask produces 565?

212 for directories. For files it cannot be reached by umask alone, since new files never carry the execute bit.