SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aplus-linux-chmod

Which Linux command changes a file's permission bits?

chmod changes file mode bits.

Start playing free

  1. chmod ✔
  2. chown
  3. grep

Why: chmod changes the mode bits of a file, which control who can read, write and run it. chown changes the file's owner and group instead.

Huh, didn't know that: chmod accepts either a symbolic mode or an octal number.

The dad joke
chmod 777: the digital equivalent of leaving your front door open and a sign saying 'Help Yourself'.
Like this card?
Play the game

References

Answer: chmod. chmod changes the mode bits of a file, which control who can read, write and run it. chown changes the file's owner and group instead.

  1. chmod(1), Debian manpages manpages.debian.org/bookworm/coreutils/chmod.1.en.html
    chmod - change file mode bits
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. chown(1), Debian manpages manpages.debian.org/bookworm/coreutils/chown.1.en.html
    chown - change file owner and group
    Checked 2026-10-10.

Think this answer is wrong? Tap "Challenge this answer" on the card in the game and tell us why.

Test yourself in the game

Tech & GadgetsWhich Linux command reports free and used space on mounted file systems?Tech & GadgetsWhich file holds the shadowed password information for Linux accounts?Tech & GadgetsWhich Linux file describes the filesystems the system can mount?

That's stuff everyone should know.