Ansible Set File Permissions 755: chmod with file Module Guide

By Luca Berton · Published 2024-01-01 · Category: troubleshooting

How to set file permissions with Ansible file module. Add execute permission (755, 644, 600), manage ownership, and apply permissions recursively.

Ansible Set File Permissions 755: chmod with file Module Guide

How to Add Execute Permission 755 on Linux file with Ansible?

Ansible Add Execute Permission

ansible.builtin.file
Manage files and file properties

Today we're talking about the Ansible module file. The full name is ansible.builtin.file, which means that is part of the collection of modules "builtin" with ansible and shipped with it. It's a module pretty stable and out for years. It works in a different variety of operating systems. It manages files and file properties. For Windows targets, use the ansible.windows.win_file module instead.

Main Parameters

path _string_ (dest, name) - file path
owner _string_ - user
group _string_ - group
mode _raw_ - Ex: '0644' or 'u=rw,g=r,o=r'
state _string_ - file, absent, directory, hard, link, touch
setype/seuser/selevel - SELinux

This module has some parameters to perform any tasks. The only required is "path", where you specify the filesystem path of the file you're going to edit. The parameter "owner" set the user that should own the file/directory. The parameter "group" set the group that should own the file/directory. The parameter "mode" set the permissions in the UNIX way of the file/directory. The state defines the type of object we are modifying, the default is "file" but we could handle also directories, hard links, symlinks, or only update the access time with the "touch" option. Let me also highlight that we could also specify the SELinux properties.

Links

ansible.builtin.file

## Playbook How to Add Execute Permission 755 file on Linux with Ansible Playbook.

code

file_permission.yml

---
- name: file module demo
  hosts: all
  vars:
    myscript: "~/example.sh"
  tasks:
    - name: set execution permission
      ansible.builtin.file:
        dest: "{{ myscript }}"
        mode: 'a+x'

example.sh

#!/bin/bash
echo "Hello World"

execution

ansible-pilot $ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/demo/inventory file_management/file_permission.yml
PLAY [file module demo] ***************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ****************************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
TASK [set execution permission] *******************************************************************
changed: [demo.example.com]
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************
demo.example.com           : ok=2    changed=1    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0
ansible-pilot $

idempotency

ansible-pilot $ ansible-playbook -i virtualmachines/demo/inventory file_management/file_permission.yml
PLAY [file module demo] ***************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ****************************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
TASK [set execution permission] *******************************************************************
ok: [demo.example.com]
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************
demo.example.com           : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0
ansible-pilot $

before execution

ansible-pilot $ ssh devops@demo.example.com
Last login: Wed Mar 30 13:38:46 2022 from 192.168.0.59
[devops@demo ~]$ cat example.sh 
#!/bin/bash
echo "Hello World"
[devops@demo ~]$[devops@demo ~]$ ls -al example.sh 
-rw-r--r--. 1 devops wheel 31 Mar 30 13:39 example.sh
[devops@demo ~]$

after execution

ansible-pilot $ ssh devops@demo.example.com
Last login: Wed Mar 30 13:40:36 2022 from 192.168.0.59
[devops@demo ~]$ ls -al example.sh 
-rwxr-xr-x. 1 devops wheel 31 Mar 30 13:39 example.sh
[devops@demo ~]$ ./example.sh 
Hello World
[devops@demo ~]$ cat example.sh 
#!/bin/bash
echo "Hello World"

code with ❤️ in GitHub

Conclusion

Now you know how to Add Execute Permission 755 for a file on Linux.

Set 755 (Execute Permission)

- name: Make script executable
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /opt/scripts/deploy.sh
    mode: '0755'
  become: true

Common Permission Patterns

# Executable script (rwxr-xr-x)
- file: { path: /opt/scripts/backup.sh, mode: '0755' }

# Config file (rw-r--r--)
- file: { path: /etc/myapp/config.yml, mode: '0644' }

# Private key (rw-------)
- file: { path: /home/deploy/.ssh/id_rsa, mode: '0600' }

# Shared directory (rwxrwxr-x)
- file: { path: /opt/shared, mode: '0775', state: directory }

# Secret file (rw-r-----)
- file: { path: /etc/ssl/private/cert.key, mode: '0640' }

Set Permissions on Multiple Files

- name: Make all scripts executable
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: "{{ item }}"
    mode: '0755'
  loop:
    - /opt/scripts/deploy.sh
    - /opt/scripts/backup.sh
    - /opt/scripts/healthcheck.sh
  become: true

Using fileglob

- name: Find all .sh files
  ansible.builtin.find:
    paths: /opt/scripts
    patterns: "*.sh"
  register: scripts

- name: Make all executable
  ansible.builtin.file:
    path: "{{ item.path }}"
    mode: '0755'
  loop: "{{ scripts.files }}"
  become: true

Recursive Permissions

# Set directory permissions recursively
- ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /opt/myapp
    owner: appuser
    group: appgroup
    mode: '0755'
    recurse: true
  become: true

Symbolic Mode

# Add execute for owner
- file: { path: /opt/script.sh, mode: 'u+x' }

# Add execute for all
- file: { path: /opt/script.sh, mode: 'a+x' }

# Remove write for group/other
- file: { path: /etc/config, mode: 'go-w' }

Separate File/Directory Permissions

# Files: 644, Directories: 755 (common web pattern)
- name: Set directory permissions
  ansible.builtin.command: find /var/www/html -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
  become: true

- name: Set file permissions
  ansible.builtin.command: find /var/www/html -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
  become: true

Permission Reference

Octal	Symbolic	Meaning
`0755`	`rwxr-xr-x`	Executable by all, writable by owner
`0644`	`rw-r--r--`	Readable by all, writable by owner
`0600`	`rw-------`	Owner only (keys, secrets)
`0700`	`rwx------`	Owner only, executable
`0775`	`rwxrwxr-x`	Group writable + executable
`0640`	`rw-r-----`	Owner write, group read
`0440`	`r--r-----`	Read only (sudoers)

FAQ

Why quote mode as '0755'?

YAML interprets unquoted 0755 as decimal 493. Always quote: mode: '0755'

How do I check current permissions?

- ansible.builtin.stat:
    path: /opt/script.sh
  register: file_info
- debug: msg="{{ file_info.stat.mode }}"

What about setuid/setgid/sticky bit?

mode: '4755'  # setuid (run as owner)
mode: '2755'  # setgid (inherit group)
mode: '1777'  # sticky bit (like /tmp)

Set 755 (rwxr-xr-x)

- ansible.builtin.file:
    path: /opt/scripts/deploy.sh
    mode: '0755'
  become: true

Common Permission Modes

# 755 — Owner: rwx, Group/Other: rx (scripts, directories)
- file: { path: /opt/scripts/run.sh, mode: '0755' }

# 644 — Owner: rw, Group/Other: r (config files)
- file: { path: /etc/myapp/config.yml, mode: '0644' }

# 600 — Owner: rw only (secrets, private keys)
- file: { path: /etc/ssl/private/key.pem, mode: '0600' }

# 700 — Owner: rwx only (private directories)
- file: { path: /root/.ssh, mode: '0700' }

# 444 — Read only for everyone
- file: { path: /etc/myapp/license.txt, mode: '0444' }

Symbolic Mode

# Add execute for owner
- file: { path: /opt/script.sh, mode: 'u+x' }

# Add execute for all
- file: { path: /opt/script.sh, mode: 'a+x' }

# Remove write from group and other
- file: { path: /etc/config.yml, mode: 'go-w' }

# Set exact: owner rwx, group rx, other rx
- file: { path: /opt/script.sh, mode: 'u=rwx,go=rx' }

Set Owner and Group

- file:
    path: /opt/myapp
    owner: appuser
    group: appgroup
    mode: '0755'
    state: directory
  become: true

Recursive Permissions

# Set directory permissions recursively
- file:
    path: /opt/myapp
    owner: appuser
    group: appgroup
    mode: '0755'
    recurse: true
    state: directory
  become: true

Different Permissions for Files vs Dirs

# Directories: 755
- command: find /opt/myapp -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
  become: true

# Files: 644
- command: find /opt/myapp -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
  become: true

# Scripts only: 755
- command: find /opt/myapp/bin -type f -name "*.sh" -exec chmod 755 {} \;
  become: true

Set Permissions on Copy

# copy module sets permissions automatically
- copy:
    src: deploy.sh
    dest: /opt/scripts/deploy.sh
    mode: '0755'
    owner: root
  become: true

# template too
- template:
    src: config.j2
    dest: /etc/myapp/config.yml
    mode: '0644'
  become: true

Multiple Files

- file:
    path: "{{ item.path }}"
    mode: "{{ item.mode }}"
    owner: "{{ item.owner | default('root') }}"
  loop:
    - { path: /opt/scripts/deploy.sh, mode: '0755' }
    - { path: /opt/scripts/backup.sh, mode: '0755' }
    - { path: /etc/myapp/config.yml, mode: '0644' }
    - { path: /etc/myapp/secrets.yml, mode: '0600' }
  become: true

Special Bits

# Setuid (4xxx) — run as file owner
- file: { path: /usr/local/bin/app, mode: '4755' }

# Setgid (2xxx) — inherit group
- file: { path: /opt/shared, mode: '2775', state: directory }

# Sticky bit (1xxx) — only owner can delete
- file: { path: /tmp/shared, mode: '1777', state: directory }

FAQ

Why quote the mode ('0755' not 0755)?

YAML interprets unquoted 0755 as octal integer (493). Quoting ensures it's passed as a string and interpreted correctly.

How to check current permissions?

- stat: { path: /opt/script.sh }
  register: file_info
- debug: { msg: "{{ file_info.stat.mode }}" }

recurse only works on directories?

recurse: true requires state: directory. It sets the same permissions on ALL files and subdirectories — use find + command for different file/dir permissions.

Category: troubleshooting

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About Luca Berton

Ansible Set File Permissions 755: chmod with file Module Guide

How to Add Execute Permission 755 on Linux file with Ansible?

Ansible Add Execute Permission

Main Parameters

Links

code

execution

idempotency

before execution

after execution

Conclusion

Set 755 (Execute Permission)

Common Permission Patterns

Set Permissions on Multiple Files

Using fileglob

Recursive Permissions

Symbolic Mode

Separate File/Directory Permissions

Permission Reference

FAQ

Why quote mode as '0755'?

How do I check current permissions?

What about setuid/setgid/sticky bit?

Set 755 (rwxr-xr-x)

Common Permission Modes

Symbolic Mode

Set Owner and Group

Recursive Permissions

Different Permissions for Files vs Dirs

Set Permissions on Copy

Multiple Files

Special Bits

FAQ

Why quote the mode ('0755' not 0755)?

How to check current permissions?

recurse only works on directories?

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