What are Set UID, Get UID, and Sticky Bits in Linux File Permissions?

Learn about special file permissions in Linux to have granular control over file and directory access by users.

As a Linux novice user, you learn about the permissions and ownership associated with the file and directories. Linux/Unix-like operating systems allow you to set a combination of nine bits permissions to prevent other users from unnecessary files/directory access. Similar to these are special permissions for executable files known as set UID, set GID, and sticky bits.

Understanding special permissions can be a bit overwhelming for aspiring Linux administrators. Here you'll learn a little background on the regular file permissions and explains how they differ from special permissions. We also demonstrate SetID, GetID, and sticky bits functionality with examples for a comprehensive understanding.