What does the command 'chmod' do in Linux?

The command 'chmod' in Linux stands for "change mode," and it is specifically used to change the permissions of a file or directory. Permissions dictate who can read, write, or execute a file, with different permissions assigned to the file owner, group members, and others.

When you use 'chmod', you can modify these access rights, allowing or restricting users' abilities to interact with the file or directory in specific ways. This is essential for security and collaboration, as it helps to manage access to files and directories in a multi-user environment.

For example, permissions can be altered using numeric (octal) or symbolic representations. Numeric permissions use numbers to represent different permission sets, while symbolic permissions express changes using characters that define who is affected (user, group, others) and what type of permission is being added or removed (read, write, execute).

While choices related to changing file ownership, renaming files, or altering file contents involve different commands and functions within Linux, 'chmod' directly addresses only the modification of file permissions.