755

Permission Code**

Permission Code: 755 Standard Directory Permissions (WordPress Default)

755 gives full access to the owner, and read/execute access to **group and others.

rwxr-xr-x

This is the **default, safest, and recommended directory permission for most WordPress installations on VPS servers.

It ensures the site runs correctly while preventing unauthorized public write access.

Technical Structure

No	Role	Bits	Access Granted	Notes
1	Owner	rwx	✓ read/write/execute	full control
2	Group	r-x	✓ read/execute	cannot modify
3	Others	r-x	✓ read/execute	cannot modify

Practical Effect in Linux

• Owner controls files and directories
• Web server (group/others) can read and enter directories
• Public cannot write
• Supports correct functioning of PHP + NGINX/OLS

WordPress Use Cases

No	WP Component	Suitability	Symbol
1	wp-content directory	✅ standard	📂
2	themes directory	✅ standard	🎨
3	plugins directory	✅ standard	🔌
4	uploads directory	✅ standard	🖼️
5	core WP directories	✅ recommended	🔧

Directive summary:

• Directories 755
• Files 644
• wp-config.php 600

Why WordPress Requires x on Directories

Directory permissions differ from file permissions.

For directories:

Permission	Meaning
r	list files
x	enter directory
w	create/delete files

If a directory lacks x, WordPress/PHP cannot access files inside it.

755 ensures directory traversal works.

Correct Commands (WordPress)

Apply to directories

find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} ;

Apply to files

find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} ;

Secure config file

chmod 600 wp-config.php

Fix ownership

chown -R wpuser:www-data /var/www/your-site

When 755 Is the Best Choice

No	Scenario	Reason
1	Single-user VPS	most secure & simple
2	Standard WordPress hosting	expected config
3	Production WP site	security + functionality
4	Shared hosting	safe choice
5	After migration	resets correct structure

When Not to Use 755

No	Scenario	Risk
1	Multi-user developer environment	group can't write
2	CI/CD auto-deploy folder	automated writing fails

In those cases, 775 may be necessary if group is controlled.

Real Troubleshooting Examples

Uploads failing?

Test directory x bit:

stat wp-content/uploads

Expected:

Access: (0755/drwxr-xr-x)

Fix

chmod 755 wp-content/uploads

Incorrect (should not do)

chmod 777 wp-content/uploads

Testing Exercise (Safe)

1. Apply 755 to all directories

find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} ;

1. Verify sample directories

stat wp-content
stat wp-content/uploads
stat wp-admin

1. Confirm wp-config permissions

stat wp-config.php

Expected:

No	Path	Expected Perm
1	Directories	755
2	Files	644
3	wp-config.php	600

Key Takeaways

No	Statement	Validity
1	755 is the standard WP directory permission	✓
2	Public cannot write at 755	✓
3	Required x bit enables folder access	✓
4	Works on single-user VPS	✓
5	For multi-user shared dev groups, consider 775	✓

Production mantra:

Directories: 755
Files: 644
wp-config: 600
Never use 777 on public servers

Summary Sentence

755 is the correct and secure directory permission for almost every WordPress VPS deployment unless you intentionally operate a controlled shared group development workflow.