What does each permission symbol mean?

In the output of the ls -l command, the permission symbols indicate the access rights for the file or directory. Here's a breakdown of what each symbol means:

Permission Symbols:

1. File Type:

   • The first character indicates the type:
     • -: Regular file
     • d: Directory
     • l: Symbolic link
     • c: Character device
     • b: Block device
     • s: Socket
     • p: Named pipe (FIFO)

2. User Permissions (next three characters):

   • The next three characters represent the owner's permissions:
     • r: Read permission (owner can read the file)
     • w: Write permission (owner can modify the file)
     • x: Execute permission (owner can execute the file or access the directory)

3. Group Permissions (next three characters):

   • The following three characters represent the group's permissions:
     • r: Read permission (group can read the file)
     • w: Write permission (group can modify the file)
     • x: Execute permission (group can execute the file or access the directory)

4. Other Permissions (last three characters):

   • The final three characters represent permissions for others (everyone else):
     • r: Read permission (others can read the file)
     • w: Write permission (others can modify the file)
     • x: Execute permission (others can execute the file or access the directory)

Example:

For the permission string -rw-r--r--:

• -: Regular file
• rw-: Owner can read and write
• r--: Group can read only
• r--: Others can read only

If you have more questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask!