ln
ln linux command cheatsheet by Thamizhiniyan C S
Last updated
ln linux command cheatsheet by Thamizhiniyan C S
Last updated
The ln command is used to create hard links and soft links for files in Linux.
ln [OPTION]... [-T] TARGET LINK_NAME
ln [OPTION]... TARGET
ln [OPTION]... TARGET... DIRECTORY
ln [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY TARGET...
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
Hard links are the original Unix method of creating links.
Every file has at least one hard link by default, which gives it a name.
Creating a hard link adds another directory entry for the same file.
Hard links are indistinguishable from the original file itself in directory listings.
When a hard link is deleted, the link itself is removed, but the file's contents remain until all links to it are deleted.
Limitations of hard links:
Cannot reference a file outside its own file system (same disk partition).
Cannot reference a directory.
Symbolic links (symlinks) were introduced to overcome the limitations of hard links.
They create a special type of file that contains a text pointer to the referenced file or directory.
Similar to Windows shortcuts, symlinks allow referencing files or directories.
A symbolic link and the file it points to are almost indistinguishable; operations on the symlink affect the referenced file.
Deleting a symbolic link removes only the link itself, not the referenced file.
If the referenced file is deleted, the symlink becomes broken, pointing to nothing.
Many implementations of the ls command display broken symlinks in a distinguishing color (e.g., red) to indicate their presence.
Source: https://phoenixnap.com/kb/symbolic-link-linux
| Category | Soft Link (aka Symbolic Link ) | Hard Link |
|---|---|---|
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
--backup[=CONTROL]
make a backup of each existing destination file
-b
like --backup but does not accept an argument
-d, -F, --directory
allow the superuser to attempt to hard link directories (note: will probably fail due to system restrictions, even for the superuser)
-f, --force
remove existing destination files
-i, --interactive
prompt whether to remove destinations
-L, --logical
dereference TARGETs that are symbolic links
-n, --no-dereference
treat LINK_NAME as a normal file if it is a symbolic link to a directory
-P, --physical
make hard links directly to symbolic links
-r, --relative
with -s, create links relative to link location
-s, --symbolic
make symbolic links instead of hard links
-S, --suffix=SUFFIX
override the usual backup suffix
-t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY
specify the DIRECTORY in which to create the links
-T, --no-target-directory
treat LINK_NAME as a normal file always
-v, --verbose
print name of each linked file
--help
display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit
Reference Type
Follows a path to a file or a directory.
Points to the actual file data on the storage volume.
Compatible Targets
Uses files and directories on local and external volumes.
Can be created only locally as it references a physical location on the volume
Target Dependence
Does not work after its target file is moved or deleted.
Works after the target file is moved or deleted.
Usage
Offers quick access to a frequently-used file.
Provides flexibility when organizing a filesystem.
To create a hard link to a file
To create a symbolic link to a file
Creates a symbolic link (link-file.txt) that points to the target file (target-file.txt) located in the test directory.
To create a symbolic link to a directory
Overwriting Symbolic Links. Using the -f option permanently deletes the existing file.
Removing the symbolic link
Removing the symbolic link
To perform the search and locate the links that do not work (Find all Broken Symbolic Links) and remove them