Understanding File and Directory Permissions in Python

Master read, write and execute permissions with practical examples

Photo by Michael Payne on Unsplash

As a Python developer, you’ll often need to work with files and directories on the file system. To do this effectively, it’s crucial to understand how file and directory permissions work. Permissions determine who can read, write, or execute a file or directory.

In this guide, we’ll explore file and directory permissions in Python, covering the key concepts and providing practical code examples to help you get up to speed quickly.

What are File Permissions?

Every file on a Unix-based system (including macOS and Linux distributions) has associated permissions that control access. These permissions are divided into three categories:

1. Read (r): Allows you to view the contents of the file.
2. Write (w): Allows you to modify or delete the file.
3. Execute (x): Allows you to run the file as a program or script.

Permissions are set for three different user classes:

• Owner: The user who owns the file.
• Group: The group the file belongs to.
• Others: All other users on the system.