setfacl

Set file access control lists

TLDR

Set read/write access for a user

$ setfacl -m u:username:rw path/to/file

Set default ACL for new files in a directory

$ setfacl -d -m u::rw path/to/directory

Remove ACL for a specific user

$ setfacl -x u:username path/to/file

Remove all extended ACL entries

$ setfacl -b path/to/file

Apply ACL recursively to a directory

$ setfacl -R -m u:username:rx path/to/directory

Copy ACL from one file to another

$ getfacl file1 | setfacl --set-file=- file2

Set group permissions via ACL

$ setfacl -m g:groupname:r path/to/file

SYNOPSIS

setfacl [-bkndRLPvh] [{-m|-x} aclspec] [{-M|-X} aclfile] file...

setfacl sets Access Control Lists (ACLs) of files and directories. ACLs provide fine-grained access control beyond the traditional Unix owner/group/other permission model, allowing specific permissions for individual users and groups.

PARAMETERS

-m, --modify

Modify the ACL with the specified entries.

-x, --remove

Remove specified ACL entries.

-M, --modify-file

Read ACL entries to modify from a file.

-X, --remove-file

Read ACL entries to remove from a file.

-b, --remove-all

Remove all extended ACL entries.

-k, --remove-default

Remove the default ACL.

-d, --default

Apply operations to the default ACL.

-n, --no-mask

Do not recalculate the effective rights mask.

--mask

Force recalculation of the effective rights mask.

-R, --recursive

Apply operations recursively.

-L, --logical

Follow symbolic links to directories (with -R).

-P, --physical

Do not follow symbolic links (with -R).

--restore=file

Restore permissions from a getfacl backup.

--test

Test mode - list resulting ACLs without modifying.

ACL ENTRY FORMAT

u[ser]:uid:perms: Named user or owner permissionsg[roup]:gid:perms: Named group or owning group permissionsm[ask]:perms: Effective rights masko[ther]:perms: Permissions for othersPermissions: r (read), w (write), x (execute), or numeric (4, 2, 1).

INSTALL

sudo apt install acl

sudo dnf install acl

sudo pacman -S acl

sudo apk add acl

sudo zypper install acl

brew install acl

nix profile install nixpkgs#acl

CAVEATS

The effective rights mask limits permissions granted to named users/groups. Some filesystems (e.g., FAT, NFS without ACL support) do not support ACLs. Use getfacl to backup ACLs before modifying. Default ACLs only apply to newly created files within a directory.

HISTORY

setfacl is part of the acl package implementing POSIX Access Control Lists (POSIX 1003.1e draft 17). ACLs extend the standard Unix permission model.