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Linux stat Command with Examples
The stat command in Linux is a powerful tool for retrieving detailed information about files and file systems. It displays comprehensive data including file permissions, timestamps, ownership, inode numbers, and filesystem properties. This command proves invaluable for system administration, troubleshooting, and security analysis.
Basic File Information
The most common usage displays complete file metadata
$ stat /var/log/syslog
File: /var/log/syslog Size: 602244 Blocks: 1200 IO Block: 4096 regular file Device: 803h/2051d Inode: 175419 Links: 1 Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: ( 0/ root) Gid: ( 0/ root) Access: 2022-11-15 11:45:41.000000000 -0500 Modify: 2022-11-15 11:45:41.000000000 -0500 Change: 2022-11-15 11:45:41.000000000 -0500 Birth: -
Output Fields Explained
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| File | Full path of the file |
| Size | File size in bytes |
| Blocks | Number of filesystem blocks allocated |
| IO Block | Filesystem block size in bytes |
| Device | Device ID containing the file |
| Inode | Unique inode number |
| Links | Number of hard links |
| Access | File permissions and ownership |
| Modify | Last data modification time |
| Change | Last metadata change time |
| Birth | File creation time (if supported) |
Filesystem Information
Use the -f option to display filesystem statistics instead of file information
$ stat -f /var/log/syslog
File: "/var/log/syslog" Filesystem: ext4 Block size: 4096 Blocks: Total: 12658517 Free: 10106288 Available: 9996658
This shows filesystem-level details useful for disk space monitoring and storage analysis.
Custom Format Output
The -c and --printf options allow custom output formatting using format specifiers
$ stat --printf='%U<br>%G<br>%i<br>%Z<br>' /var/log/secure
Common Format Specifiers
| Specifier | File Information | Filesystem Information |
|---|---|---|
| %n | Filename | Filesystem name |
| %s | File size in bytes | Block size |
| %U | Owner username | N/A |
| %G | Group name | N/A |
| %i | Inode number | N/A |
| %Z | Last change time (epoch) | N/A |
| %a | Access permissions (octal) | Free blocks (non-root) |
| %b | Blocks allocated | Total blocks |
Example showing filesystem information with custom format
$ stat --printf='Name: %n\nFree blocks: %a\nTotal blocks: %b<br>' /
Terse Output Format
The -t option provides machine-readable output in a single line
$ stat -t /var/log/syslog
/var/log/syslog 127952 272 81a4 0 0 802 2185068 1 644 1671482093 1671479542 1671479542 0 4096
This format is ideal for shell scripts and automated processing.
Common Use Cases
Security auditing Check file permissions and ownership
Backup verification Compare timestamps and file sizes
Disk space monitoring Analyze filesystem usage with
-fTroubleshooting Examine file access patterns and metadata
Script automation Extract specific file attributes with custom formats
Accessing Documentation
For complete format specifier reference and advanced options
$ man stat
Note that some shells may have built-in stat implementations with different options.
Conclusion
The Linux stat command provides comprehensive file and filesystem information essential for system administration and troubleshooting. Its flexible formatting options make it suitable for both interactive use and automated scripts, while the detailed metadata helps users understand file properties and system behavior.
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