What does 'lsattr' command do?

The lsattr command in Linux is used to display the file attributes on a file or directory. It shows the attributes that affect how the file can be manipulated by the system and users.

Common Attributes Displayed by lsattr:

• a: Append only - the file can only be opened in append mode for writing.
• c: Compressed - the file is compressed on disk.
• d: No dump - the file will not be included in backup operations using the dump command.
• i: Immutable - the file cannot be modified, deleted, or renamed.
• s: Secure deletion - the file is securely deleted when removed.
• t: No tail merging - the file will not have its tail merged with other files.
• u: Undeletable - the file can be deleted but can be recovered.

Usage:

To use the lsattr command, simply type:

lsattr filename

Example:

lsattr myfile.txt

This will display the attributes of myfile.txt. If you want to see the attributes of all files in a directory, you can run:

lsattr *

This command is particularly useful for system administrators and users who need to manage file permissions and behaviors at a deeper level.