Which command do you use to change the ownership of a file in Linux?

The command used to change the ownership of a file in Linux is chown. This command allows users to assign ownership of a file or directory to a different user or group, which is crucial for managing permissions and access rights within the filesystem. The syntax typically looks like this: chown [new_owner]:[new_group] [file], enabling fine control over who can read, write, or execute the file.

The other options do not serve this purpose. For instance, chmod is used to change the permissions of a file rather than its ownership. The commands setowner and userchange are not standard Linux commands, so they would not be recognized in the context of modifying file ownership. Understanding the correct usage of chown is essential for effective file system management and security in Linux.