chgrp

Additional Notes

chgrp changes the group ownership of files and directories. Group ownership controls which group can read, write, or execute a file when the group permission bits apply.

Together with chown and chmod, it controls access. Only the file owner or root can usually change group ownership, and the user must belong to the target group (unless running as root).

Syntax

chgrp [options] GROUP FILE...

Parameters

• options: Flags that change how chgrp behaves.
• GROUP: The new group name or numeric GID.
• FILE: One or more files or directories to change.

Common Options

• -R, --recursive: Change group ownership recursively.
• -v, --verbose: Print what changed.
• -c, --changes: Print only files that changed.
• -h, --no-dereference: Change the group of a symlink itself, not its target.
• --reference=FILE: Copy the group from another file.
• --dereference: Follow symlinks and change the target (default for non-links).

Examples

chgrp staff report.txt

Set the group of report.txt to staff.

chgrp -R www-data /var/www

Recursively set group ownership of a web directory.

chgrp -c :developers config/

Change group and report only the files that actually changed.

chgrp --reference=known-good.conf new.conf

Copy the group setting from an existing file.

chgrp -h wheel link-to-app

Change the group of a symbolic link itself.

Practical Notes

• The user must be a member of the target group, or run chgrp as root.
• Use -R carefully; it changes many files quickly.
• Combine with group permission bits via chmod g+rw to grant group access.
• Use -h when you mean to change a symlink, not what it points to.