Written 30 Aug 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card. Buy links are not tagged yet.

See leftover-box file size, date, and permissions

After SSH works, look at one leftover-box file with stat so you can see its size, last-change date, and permissions without opening it. You do not need a file manager app for this.

Download a file onto the leftover box put a practice file in leftover-box home. Check a leftover-box file fingerprint proved the leftover-box bytes. Tonight you only need one more look: how big that leftover-box file is, when it last changed, and who can read it. stat prints those leftover-box facts. You are still only looking. The leftover box does not need a file manager, a desktop, or a NAS for this one job.

Skip until SSH already works

SSH from the couch should already get you a leftover-box prompt. Prefer a practice file from download a file onto the leftover box (~/example.html). If you only need names in a folder, that is see what's in a leftover-box folder. If you only need what kind of leftover-box file this is, that is see what kind of leftover-box file this is. If you only need a line count, that is see how long a leftover-box file is. If you only need a fingerprint, that is check a leftover-box file fingerprint. If you want to change leftover-box permissions, that is make a leftover-box file runnable. Skip this whole note if you only need a house share other computers browse. That is a folder the house can open.

What this is

stat means "print leftover-box facts about this file." You type stat, then a path in leftover-box home. The leftover box prints a short block: File, Size, Access (permission letters), then Access/Modify/Change dates. Size is how many bytes the leftover-box file takes — how big it is. Modify is when the leftover-box file last changed. Permissions are the letters like -rw-r--r--. They say who can read, write, or run. It is not a folder list. That is see what's in a leftover-box folder. It is not a kind-of-file guess. That is see what kind of leftover-box file this is. It is not a fingerprint. That is check a leftover-box file fingerprint. It is not a line count. That is see how long a leftover-box file is. It is not changing leftover-box permissions. That is make a leftover-box file runnable. It is not dumping leftover-box text. That is read a leftover-box file without opening the editor.

Look at one practice file in leftover-box home

SSH in. Make sure leftover-box home is where you are sitting:

pwd

You want a path that ends in your login name. Prefer the practice page from curl:

ls -lh ~/example.html

If that file is missing, make a tiny leftover-box practice file instead:

printf 'hello leftover box\n' > ~/check-me.txt

Now ask for leftover-box facts:

stat ~/example.html

Or, if you made the tiny file:

stat ~/check-me.txt

You want a block that starts with File:, then Size:, then an Access: line with permission letters like -rw-r--r--, then Access/Modify/Change dates. On night one, Size, Modify, and the permission letters are the three leftover-box facts you need. GNU leftover-box stat (Debian/Ubuntu) prints that multi-line block. A real GNU sample from a 19-byte practice file looks like:

File: /home/you/check-me.txt

Size: 19 Blocks: … IO Block: 4096 regular file

Access: (0644/-rw-r--r--) Uid: …

Modify: 2026-08-30 …

You may also see Device, Inode, Birth, and a Change date. Ignore those tonight. They are leftover-box internals, not night-one facts.

Useful extras, still looking only

Want only the leftover-box size?

stat -c '%n %s bytes' ~/example.html

Want only the leftover-box modify time — when the leftover-box file last changed?

stat -c '%y' ~/example.html

Want the leftover-box permission letters plus who owns the leftover-box file?

stat -c '%A %U %G' ~/example.html

-c means print only these leftover-box facts. %n is the name. %s is the size in bytes. %y is the modify time. %A is the permission letters. %U is the owner name. %G is the group name. That is GNU leftover-box stat on Debian and Ubuntu.

Skip macOS stat -f as tonight's leftover-box lesson. That is the laptop. The leftover box is GNU stat.

Skip lsattr, getfacl, and find -ls as night one. Tonight you only print leftover-box facts about one leftover-box file in home.

Skip chmod as tonight's lesson. You are looking, not changing leftover-box permissions. Changing them is make a leftover-box file runnable.

If the leftover box says command not found for stat, install coreutils, then try again:

sudo apt install coreutils

Debian and Ubuntu Server usually already have it. That install is not a reason to buy a file manager.

When you are done looking, throw away the leftover-box practice file if you made it:

rm ~/check-me.txt

Keep ~/example.html if you still want it from curl, or delete that one the same way. Careful delete only. That is delete a leftover-box file carefully.

What this is not

This is not a folder list. That is see what's in a leftover-box folder. It is not a kind-of-file guess. That is see what kind of leftover-box file this is. It is not a fingerprint. That is check a leftover-box file fingerprint. It is not a line count. That is see how long a leftover-box file is. It is not changing leftover-box permissions. That is make a leftover-box file runnable. It is not dumping leftover-box text. That is read a leftover-box file without opening the editor. It is not wrapping leftover-box long lines. That is wrap leftover-box long lines. It is not leftover-box line numbers. That is number leftover-box lines. It is not the leftover-box whole disk. That is see if the leftover box still has room. It is not leftover-box folder sizes. That is see which leftover-box folders are eating the disk. It is not packing leftover-box files into one leftover-box archive. That is pack leftover-box files into one leftover-box archive. It is not a house share other computers browse. That is a folder the house can open. It is not opening SSH to the internet so you can inspect leftover-box files from a coffee shop. That is keep the leftover box on the house network.

What next

Need the practice file first? Download a file onto the leftover box. Need a leftover-box fingerprint of those bytes? Check a leftover-box file fingerprint. Need names in a leftover-box folder? See what's in a leftover-box folder. Need what kind of leftover-box file this is? See what kind of leftover-box file this is. Need a leftover-box line count? See how long a leftover-box file is. Need to change leftover-box permissions? Make a leftover-box file runnable. Need the throwaway gone for real? Delete a leftover-box file carefully. Need leftover-box files packed into one leftover-box archive so you can copy one leftover-box file instead of a leftover-box folder? Pack leftover-box files into one leftover-box archive. When key login is boring on every computer you use, turn off leftover-box password login once the key works. Keep SSH on the house network: keep the leftover box on the house network. Do not forward port 22.

Skip

• Skip if SSH still fails. Finish SSH from the couch first.
• Skip leftover-box files under /etc, SSH folders, or paths you do not own. Practice only in home.
• Skip chmod, chown, lsattr, and getfacl as tonight's lesson. Tonight you only print leftover-box facts.
• Skip macOS stat -f as tonight's leftover-box tool. The leftover box is GNU stat.
• Skip buying a file manager. Debian and Ubuntu already ship stat with coreutils.
• Skip opening SSH to the internet so you can inspect leftover-box files from a coffee shop. That is keep the leftover box on the house network. Do not forward port 22.