# Executable directory general question

**URL:** <https://community.unix.com/t/executable-directory-general-question/161749>\
**Category:** UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers\
**Created:** [May 17, 2006, 11:32am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/executable-directory-general-question/161749 "2006-05-17T11:32:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FredSmith](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/fredsmith/32/6_22734026db12803ebb3e059622ac3534.png) [@FredSmith](https://community.unix.com/u/FredSmith)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 11:32am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/executable-directory-general-question/161749/1 "2006-05-17T11:32:16Z")

</div>

This may be a dumb question (but this is the UNIX for Dummies Q&A forum 🙂

But I'm wondering, what is the purpose of a directory being given execute permissions? I can't execute a directory, only files, right? If I make a directory executable, the files inside still won't execute unless I give the files execute permissions (I just tested it). So what is the purpose of directories being given X??

Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hu\_h](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/hu_h/32/366_2.png) [@hu\_h](https://community.unix.com/u/hu_h)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/executable-directory-general-question/161749/2 "2006-05-17T17:14:39Z")

</div>

It gives access to the dir. e.g cd.