Minimum file permissions to delete a file

Question

To delete a file in Linux:

What minimal permissions do we need to set on it?

What minimal permissions do we need to set on its parent directory?

you need write (+w) permissions, and parent directory should be accessible (+x) to the user which is you want to have delete permission. — TPS, Jun 17 '14 at 12:03
Permissions on the file itself don't matter. You need +wx on the parent directory. — doneal24, Jun 17 '14 at 12:28

score 9 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 17 '14 at 12:27

If you try to delete a file then the normal file permissions (including ACL and RichACL) do not matter at all. The only relevant attribute to the file itself is the file system attribute immutable, see man lsattr, man chattr.

You need write permission for the direct parent directory and execute permission for all parent directories.

Minimum file permissions to delete a file

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