File permissions·664
664
rw-rw-r--
-rw-rw-r--

chmod 664 — the rw-rw-r-- permission

Files several people edit together.

664 is rw-rw-r--. The owner gets rw, and everyone else gets r.

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
Owner6·
Group6·
Others4··

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
rw-rw-r--
ls -l (file)
-rw-rw-r--
ls -l (directory)
drw-rw-r--
chmod symbolic form
chmod u=rw,g=rw,o=r
Command
chmod 664 <file>
Binary
110110100
Decimal
436
umask (directory)
113
umask (file)
002

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 664 mean?

It is rw-rw-r--. ls -l shows a file as -rw-rw-r-- and a directory as drw-rw-r--.

Q. How is 664 written in rwx form?

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

Q. What can other people do with 664?

They get r--.

Q. Which umask produces 664?

113 for directories. The same 002 gives it for files too.