ln

Overview

The ln command creates links between files. It can create both hard links and symbolic (soft) links, providing different ways to reference files in the filesystem.

Syntax

ln [options] target [link_name]
ln [options] target... directory

Common Options

Option	Description
`-s`	Create symbolic link
`-f`	Force creation
`-i`	Interactive mode
`-v`	Verbose output
`-b`	Backup existing files
`-n`	No dereference
`-r`	Relative symbolic links
`-t directory`	Target directory

Link Types

Type	Description
Hard Link	Direct reference to inode
Symbolic Link	Pointer to file path
Relative Link	Path relative to link location
Absolute Link	Full path reference

Key Use Cases

Create file shortcuts
Share files across directories
Version management
Space-efficient duplicates
Configuration management

Examples with Explanations

Example 1: Create Symbolic Link

ln -s /path/to/file link_name

Creates a symbolic link pointing to the target file

Example 2: Create Hard Link

ln file.txt hardlink.txt

Creates a hard link to the same inode

Example 3: Link to Directory

ln -s /usr/local/bin ~/bin

Creates symbolic link to directory

Understanding Links

Hard links: - Share same inode - Cannot cross filesystems - Cannot link directories - Survive original deletion

Symbolic links: - Point to path string - Can cross filesystems - Can link directories - Break if target deleted

Common Usage Patterns

Create backup link:
```
ln -s config.conf config.conf.bak
```
Multiple links:
```
ln -s target link1 link2 link3
```
Force overwrite:
```
ln -sf new_target existing_link
```

Performance Analysis

Hard links have no performance overhead
Symbolic links require extra filesystem lookup
Use hard links for performance-critical scenarios
Symbolic links more flexible for cross-filesystem usage

Additional Resources

Best Practices

Use absolute paths for system links
Use relative paths for portable links
Document link purposes
Check link validity regularly
Avoid circular symbolic links

Troubleshooting

Broken symbolic links
Permission issues
Cross-filesystem limitations
Circular references
Link target changes