$ Linux Command

Files

ln

Create hard links and symbolic links.

linksymlinkhard linkfilespath

Additional Notes

ln creates links. A link is another name or pointer for a file or path.

There are two main types: hard links and symbolic links. Symbolic links are more common for everyday use because they can point to directories and paths across filesystems.

Syntax

ln [options] TARGET LINK_NAME
ln [options] TARGET... DIRECTORY

Parameters

  • options: Flags that change how ln behaves.
  • path: File or directory path to inspect or change.
  • arguments: Names, patterns, or values used by the command.
  • Hard link: Another directory entry pointing to the same inode as a file.
  • Symbolic link: A small special file that points to another path.

Common Options

  • -s, --symbolic: Create a symbolic link.
  • -f, --force: Remove existing destination files.
  • -n: Treat a symlink to a directory as a normal file when replacing.
  • -v, --verbose: Show created links.
  • -T: Treat destination as a normal file, not a directory.

Examples

ln original.txt hardlink.txt

Create a hard link.

ln -s /var/log/nginx nginx-logs

Create a symbolic link to a directory.

ln -sv ~/projects/app app-link

Create a symlink and show the action.

ls -l app-link

Inspect a symbolic link.

readlink app-link

Print where a symlink points.

Practical Notes

  • Use ln -s for most practical linking.
  • Hard links usually cannot link directories and cannot cross filesystems.
  • A symlink can become broken if its target is moved or deleted.
  • Relative symlinks are often more portable inside project folders.
  • Use ls -li to compare inode numbers for hard links.