CHDIR(2) | System Calls Manual | CHDIR(2)

# NAME

`chdir`, `fchdir` — change current working directory

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <unistd.h>`

int
`chdir`(const char *path);

int
`fchdir`(int fd);

# DESCRIPTION

The path argument points to the pathname of a directory. The `chdir`() function causes the named directory to become the current working directory, that is, the starting point for path searches of pathnames not beginning with a slash (‘`/`’).

The `fchdir`() function causes the directory referenced by fd to become the current working directory, the starting point for path searches of pathnames not beginning with a slash (‘`/`’).

In order for a directory to become the current directory, a process must have execute (search) access to the directory.

# RETURN VALUES

Upon successful completion, the value 0 is returned; otherwise the value -1 is returned and the global variable errno is set to indicate the error.

# ERRORS

`chdir`() will fail and the current working directory will be unchanged if one or more of the following are true:

[`ENOTDIR`]
  A component of the path prefix is not a directory.
[`ENAMETOOLONG`]
  A component of a pathname exceeded `NAME_MAX` characters, or an entire pathname (including the terminating NUL) exceeded `PATH_MAX` bytes.
[`ENOENT`]
  The named directory does not exist.
[`ELOOP`]
  Too many symbolic links were encountered in translating the pathname.
[`EACCES`]
  Search permission is denied for any component of the pathname.
[`EFAULT`]
  path points outside the process's allocated address space.
[`EIO`]
  An I/O error occurred while reading from the file system.

`fchdir`() will fail and the current working directory will be unchanged if one or more of the following are true:

[`EACCES`]
  Search permission is denied for the directory referenced by the file descriptor.
[`ENOTDIR`]
  The file descriptor does not reference a directory.
[`EBADF`]
  The argument fd is not a valid file descriptor.
[`EIO`]
  An I/O error occurred while reading from the file system.

# SEE ALSO

chroot(2)

# STANDARDS

The `chdir`() and `fchdir`() functions are expected to conform to IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”).

# HISTORY

The `chdir`() system call first appeared in Version 1 AT&T UNIX, and `fchdir`() in 4.3BSD-Reno.

September 10, 2015 | Debian