file · Command reference

`qzx changePermissions`

What it does

Changes permissions of a file or directory

Command maturity: Alpha

Available for real use and feedback while its interface and behavior can still evolve. This is the current development-checkout assessment. Every future immutable release tag preserves the exact assessment shipped by that version. Available in PyPI 0.2.2.0.15. This page documents the 0.2.2.0.15 alpha development checkout.

Behavior and built-in protections

Live mode applies the changes you request

Direct execution for this operation

Works without invoking native programs

Works without network access

Uses your current permissions; results can vary

QZX creates a recovery archive before live changes; use --dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox/--yolo only when you deliberately choose to skip it.

This safety classification was reviewed by Claude Opus 5.5 (Anthropic) against implementation digest sha256:afa02feb9e841f637a635a3d05bb0181a12d6c165e615ae82b19a9dcc9bbb294 on 2026-10-08.

Exact syntax

qzx changePermissions <path> <mode> [recursive] --json

Parameters

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Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
path	str	Yes	Not declared	Path to the file or directory
mode	str	Yes	Not declared	Permission mode in octal (e.g., 755) or string format (e.g., "a+x")
recursive	bool	No	false	Whether to apply permissions recursively: -r/--recursive for unlimited, -rN/--recursiveN for N levels

Input examples

qzx changePermissions myfile.txt 644

Change file permissions to 644 (rw-r--r--)

qzx changePermissions myscript.sh "a+x"

Make a script executable for all users

qzx changePermissions mydir 755 -r

Change directory permissions recursively

qzx changePermissions mydir 755 -r2

Change directory permissions up to 2 levels deep

For the complete structured payload, add --json: qzx changePermissions <path> <mode> [recursive] --json

Representative output example

This illustrative JSON is derived from the current implementation-backed result contract. It shows what the command can return without claiming a recorded execution; values vary with inputs, host, permissions, and optional tools.

Example command: qzx changePermissions myfile.txt 644 --json

{
    "success": true,
    "message": "Changes permissions of a file or directory. In this illustrative example, the command completed successfully.",
    "meta": {
        "command": "changePermissions",
        "command_maturity": {
            "stage": "alpha",
            "label": "Alpha",
            "sequence": 2,
            "public_executable": true,
            "stability": "interface_may_change",
            "summary": "Available for real use and feedback while its interface and behavior can still evolve.",
            "promotion_review_required": false,
            "assessment_scope": "development_checkout"
        },
        "duration_ms": 0,
        "schema_version": 1
    },
    "mode": "default",
    "path": "C:\\project\\example.txt",
    "recursive": true,
    "type": "file"
}

View the JSON result contract

{
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "required": [
        "success",
        "message",
        "meta"
    ],
    "properties": {
        "success": {
            "type": "boolean"
        },
        "message": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "meta": {
            "type": "object",
            "required": [
                "command",
                "command_maturity",
                "duration_ms",
                "schema_version"
            ],
            "properties": {
                "command": {
                    "type": "string"
                },
                "command_maturity": {
                    "type": "object",
                    "required": [
                        "stage",
                        "label",
                        "sequence",
                        "public_executable",
                        "stability",
                        "summary",
                        "promotion_review_required",
                        "assessment_scope"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        "stage": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "label": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "sequence": {
                            "type": "integer"
                        },
                        "public_executable": {
                            "type": "boolean"
                        },
                        "stability": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "summary": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "promotion_review_required": {
                            "type": "boolean"
                        },
                        "assessment_scope": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "note": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "review": {
                            "type": "object",
                            "required": [
                                "reviewed_on",
                                "rationale",
                                "evidence"
                            ],
                            "properties": {
                                "reviewed_on": {
                                    "type": "string",
                                    "format": "date"
                                },
                                "rationale": {
                                    "type": "string"
                                },
                                "evidence": {
                                    "type": "array",
                                    "minItems": 1,
                                    "items": {
                                        "type": "string"
                                    }
                                },
                                "replacement": {
                                    "type": "string"
                                }
                            },
                            "additionalProperties": false
                        }
                    },
                    "additionalProperties": true
                },
                "duration_ms": {
                    "type": "number"
                },
                "schema_version": {
                    "type": "integer"
                }
            },
            "additionalProperties": true
        },
        "error": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "error_code": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "mode": [],
        "path": [],
        "recursive": [],
        "type": {
            "type": "string"
        }
    },
    "additionalProperties": true
}

Errors and limits

The public contract requires success=false and a descriptive message on failure. This catalog does not yet declare a command-specific error taxonomy; inspect the result and do not invent error codes.

QZX is alpha software. Optional dependencies, permissions, and host capabilities can change the result.

Evidence workflow: requires a controlled privileged environment.

Evidence and provenance

Implementation: src/qzx/commands/file/change_permissions.py
Tests: tests/test_file_commands/test_change_permissions.py
Documentation channel: Development documentation 0.2.2.0.15 · main · sha256:b91acee86268edb7cb018a94e089ff8e95835eda3f2cf08b39796c0ab9654693
Availability: 0.2.2.0.15 or earlier

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