chmod 700 meaning

700 rwx------

The owner can read, write and execute; the group and everyone else can do nothing.

When to use 700

Private folders such as ~/.ssh and your own scripts: only you can open, change or run them.

What each digit allows

Read = 4, write = 2, execute = 1. Each digit is the sum for one group of users.

Who	Digit	Symbolic	Read	Write	Execute
Owner (u)	7	rwx	Yes	Yes	Yes
Group (g)	0	---	No	No	No
Others (o)	0	---	No	No	No

On a folder, read lists its contents, write adds or deletes files in it, and execute lets you open it (cd into it).

Commands

One file or folder, a folder with everything inside it, or only the folders inside a folder:

chmod 700 folder
chmod -R 700 folder/
find folder/ -type d -exec chmod 700 {} +

In cPanel: File Manager → right-click → Change Permissions, and tick the boxes until the number shows 700.

Try other permissions

Tick or untick the boxes to see the number, the symbolic form and the command.

	Read	Write	Execute
Owner
Group
Everyone else

Special bits (setuid, setgid, sticky)

setuid setgid sticky

Common values

Octal

Symbolic

Command

-R

Compare

Frequently asked questions

What does chmod 700 mean?

Each digit is the sum of read (4), write (2) and execute (1), for the owner, the group and everyone else. 700 = 7 / 0 / 0, so the owner can read, write and execute; the group and everyone else can do nothing (rwx------).

Should I use 700 for files or for folders?

700 includes execute, which on a folder means "may open it". It suits folders and scripts; for ordinary files use the same number without execute (600).

How do I set 700 in cPanel?

In File Manager, right-click the file or folder, choose Change Permissions, and tick the boxes so the number shows 700. Over SSH: chmod 700 path (add -R to include everything inside a folder).