You can have an executable module in the z/OS UNIX file system. To run a shell script or executable, a user must have read and execute permissions to the file. Use chmod to set the permissions.

• For frequently used programs in the file system, you can use the chmod command to set the sticky bit. This reduces I/O and improves performance. When the bit is set on, z/OS UNIX searches for the program in the user's STEPLIB, the link pack area, or the link list concatenation. For further information, see Using a symbolic mode to specify permissions.
• The extattr command is used to set, reset and display extended attributes for files to allow executable files to be marked so they run APF authorized, as a program controlled executable, or not in a shared address space.
  The ls shell command has an option that displays these attributes:

  -E

  Displays extended attributes for regular files:

  a

  Program runs APF authorized if linked AC=1

  p

  Program is considered program controlled

  s

  Program runs in a shared address space

  -

  Attribute not set

  When the extattr attribute l is set (+l) on an executable program file, it will be loaded from the shared library region.

• You can copy executable modules between z/OS UNIX and the file system. For more information about how to do this, see Copying executable modules between MVS data sets and the z/OS UNIX file system.
• For information about how to set up a STEPLIB environment for an executable file, see Building a STEPLIB environment: The STEPLIB environment variable.

For more information about the ls and extattr shell commands, see z/OS UNIX System Services Command Reference.