| -c--changes | like verbose but report only when a change is made |
| -f--silent--quiet | suppress most error messages |
| -v--verbose | output a diagnostic for every file processed |
| --dereference | affect the referent of each symbolic link (this is the default), rather than the symbolic link itself |
| -h--no-dereference | affect symbolic links instead of any referenced file (useful only on systems that can change the ownership of a symlink) |
| --from | change the ownership of each file only if its current owner and/or group match those specified here. Either may be omitted, in which case a match is not required for the omitted attribute |
| --no-preserve-root | do not treat '/' specially (the default) |
| --preserve-root | fail to operate recursively on '/' |
| --reference | use RFILE's ownership rather than specifying values. RFILE is always dereferenced if a symbolic link. |
| -R--recursive | operate on files and directories recursively |
| -H | if a command line argument is a symbolic link to a directory, traverse it |
| -L | traverse every symbolic link to a directory encountered |
| -P | do not traverse any symbolic links |
| --help | display this help and exit |
| --version | output version information and exit |
| chgrp staff /u | Change the group of /u to "staff". |
| -hR | Change the group of /u and subfiles to "staff". |
NAME
chgrp - change group ownership
SYNOPSIS
chgrp [OPTION]... GROUP FILE... chgrp [OPTION]... --reference=RFILE FILE...
DESCRIPTION
Change the group of each FILE to GROUP. With --reference, change the group of each FILE to that of RFILE.
- -c, --changes
like verbose but report only when a change is made
- -f, --silent, --quiet
suppress most error messages
- -v, --verbose
output a diagnostic for every file processed
- --dereference
affect the referent of each symbolic link (this is the default), rather than the symbolic link itself
- -h, --no-dereference
affect symbolic links instead of any referenced file (useful only on systems that can change the ownership of a symlink)
- --from=CURRENT_OWNER:CURRENT_GROUP
change the ownership of each file only if its current owner and/or group match those specified here. Either may be omitted, in which case a match is not required for the omitted attribute
- --no-preserve-root
do not treat '/' specially (the default)
- --preserve-root
fail to operate recursively on '/'
- --reference=RFILE
use RFILE's ownership rather than specifying values. RFILE is always dereferenced if a symbolic link.
- -R, --recursive
operate on files and directories recursively
The following options modify how a hierarchy is traversed when the -R option is also specified. If more than one is specified, only the final one takes effect. -P is the default.
- -H
if a command line argument is a symbolic link to a directory, traverse it
- -L
traverse every symbolic link to a directory encountered
- -P
do not traverse any symbolic links
- --help
display this help and exit
- --version
output version information and exit
EXAMPLES
- chgrp staff /u
Change the group of /u to "staff".
- chgrp -hR staff /u
Change the group of /u and subfiles to "staff".
AUTHOR
Written by David MacKenzie and Jim Meyering.
REPORTING BUGS
GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/> Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>
SEE ALSO
chown(1), chown(2)
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/chgrp> or available locally via: info '(coreutils) chgrp invocation'
Packaged by Debian (9.7-3) Copyright © 2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.