My original comment:
Is chmod 777 a good idea? if it’s not absolutely necessary (which if
your server’s users and groups are properly configured it’s usually
not) then avoid it. is it as terrible and the omg you’re gonna get
hacked any second now disaster everyone makes it out to be? not quite,
but again it depends on your server config. someone has to get to the
directory and file ON your server to do damage. anyway, consult your
server admins for proper permissions (assuming you’re not the admin!).
and your follow up question:
So i should ask my web host about this? I thought there would a universal permission configuration, especially for wordpress….
Yes, you should ask your host if you are unsure. WordPress does have a universal configuration, in the sense that permissions must be such that WordPress is able write to the filesystem. The variables are how users and groups are configured on a particular server regarding the webserver software, php, and you as a user.