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chmod Calculator

Calculate Unix/Linux chmod permission values. Toggle read/write/execute permissions for owner, group, and others. Get both octal and symbolic notation instantly.

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How to use chmod Calculator

chmod Calculator converts between human-readable permission checkboxes and Unix octal/symbolic notation. Essential for server administration and Linux development.

  1. 1Check the permissions you want for Owner, Group, and Others.
  2. 2See the octal value (e.g., 755) update instantly.
  3. 3Read the symbolic notation (e.g., rwxr-xr-x) in the output.
  4. 4Or enter an octal value directly to see what permissions it represents.
  5. 5Copy the chmod command (e.g., chmod 755) ready to paste in terminal.

Common Use Cases

  • Setting correct permissions for web server files and directories
  • Configuring SSH key file permissions (chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa)
  • Making shell scripts executable (chmod +x script.sh)
  • Troubleshooting 403 Forbidden errors caused by wrong file permissions

Pro Tips

  • Directories usually need execute permission (x) to be accessible โ€” use 755 for public dirs.
  • SSH private keys must be 600 (owner read/write only) or SSH will refuse them.
  • Use 644 for regular web files, 755 for directories and scripts.
  • The sticky bit (chmod +t) prevents users from deleting others' files in shared directories.

Frequently Asked Questions

chmod (change mode) is a Unix command that changes file and directory permissions. Permissions control who can read, write, or execute a file.

755 means: Owner can read, write, execute (7=rwx). Group can read and execute (5=r-x). Others can read and execute (5=r-x). This is typical for web server directories.

644 means: Owner can read and write (6=rw-). Group can only read (4=r--). Others can only read (4=r--). This is standard for web files.

Symbolic notation uses letters: r=read, w=write, x=execute, with - for no permission. Example: rwxr-xr-x = 755.

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