Mtime is a file attribute that records the time and date a file was last modified. In Linux and other Unix-like operating systems, a file’s mtime can be viewed in the output of the command ls -l.

Similar file attributes

  • atime - Records the time and date when a file was last accessed, for instance, when its contents were last viewed. This attribute can be viewed with the command ls -lu.
  • ctime - Records the time and date when a file’s status last changed, for instance when its ownership or permissions were altered. This attribute can be viewed with the command ls -lc.

Attribute, File, Linux, Operating System terms