---
name: "sticky"
section: "7"
platform: "macos"
package: "xnu"
version: "12377.121.6"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sticky/7"
---

# sticky(7)

sticky text and append-only directories

## NAME

**sticky** – sticky text and append-only directories

## DESCRIPTION

A special file mode, called the *sticky* *bit* (mode S\_ISVTX), is used to indicate special treatment for directories. It is ignored for regular files. See [chmod(2)](/chmod/2.md) or the file ⟨sys/stat.h⟩ for an explanation of file modes.

## STICKY DIRECTORIES

A directory whose \`sticky bit' is set becomes an append-only directory, or, more accurately, a directory in which the deletion of files is restricted. A file in a sticky directory may only be removed or renamed by a user if the user has write permission for the directory and the user is the owner of the file, the owner of the directory, or the super-user. This feature is usefully applied to directories such as */tmp* which must be publicly writable but should deny users the license to arbitrarily delete or rename each others' files.

Any user may create a sticky directory. See [chmod(1)](/chmod/1.md) for details about modifying file modes.

## HISTORY

A **sticky** command appeared in AT&T UNIX v32.

## BUGS

Neither [open(2)](/open/2.md) nor [mkdir(2)](/mkdir/2.md) will create a file with the sticky bit set.