stmode

Stmode is a term encountered in several computing contexts, most often as a reference to a mode or state related to file metadata or software configuration. In many technical discussions, stmode is closely associated with the POSIX stat data structure, where st_mode is a field that encodes both the type of a file and its permission bits.

In POSIX systems, the st_mode field is a bitwise combination that indicates what kind of file an entry is (for example, regular file, directory, symbolic link) and what access permissions apply (read, write, execute for user, group, and others). The field is used with a set of macros to query properties, such as testing whether a path refers to a directory or whether the owner has write permission. Because st_mode is a bit field, programs typically use bitwise operations or helper macros to interpret it, rather than treating it as a simple numeric value.

In practice, stmode appears in various programming languages that expose the POSIX stat result. In C, a program calls stat to fill a struct containing st_mode and then tests properties with macros like S_ISDIR or S_IRUSR. In higher-level languages, libraries present a similar st_mode attribute or property, often exposed as part of a stat result object, enabling developers to inspect file type and permissions without managing the raw bits directly.

Outside the POSIX context, stmode or STMODE may be used as an acronym or identifier within a specific project or device firmware to denote a particular mode (for example, a standby, startup, or self-test mode). Such uses are project-specific and not standardized, so their exact meaning depends on the surrounding code or documentation. See also: POSIX stat, st_mode, file permissions, and S_ISDIR.