Needing to have 0777 permissions to edit the files

Is there a way to not use 0777 permissions and still be able to have read/write/execute permissions cause right now that is the only way I can edit the files. This is how I log in and I use a key instead of a password.

If I remember correctly, one of the ways that can happen is if the files were put there by another SSH user. Such as can happen on multiple SSH users having rw access to the same location or other situations.

But yes, if the files have the right access and setup they do not need 0777. You might need to download and reupload them all or go onto the server terminal and adjust the user for all the files or something like that.

I had dealt with this stuff before when I coded a client but its all too fuzzy now.

You might as well see what someone else thinks before trying that. Although it wouldn't hurt to check what user, etc that the files are currently using are or do a test download/upload to a new folder and see what happens.

As @Guest wrote. If you are an owner of the file, you do not need 0777, just 0700 is enough.