symbolic link

file system (Or "symlink", "soft link" (by contrast with

"hard link"), "shortcut", "alias") A special type of

Unix file which refers to another file by its pathname. A

symbolic link is created with the "ln" (link) command:

ln -s OLDNAME NEWNAME

Where OLDNAME is the target of the link (usually a pathname)

and NEWNAME is the pathname of the link itself.

Most operations (open, read, write) on the symbolic link

automatically dereference it and operate on its target

(OLDNAME). Some operations (e.g. removing) work on the link

itself (NEWNAME).

In contrast with hard links, there are no restrictions on

where a symbolic link can point, it can refer to a file on

another file system, to itself or to a file which does not

even exist (e.g. when the target of the symlink is removed).

Such problems will only be detected when the link is accessed.

(1997-10-22)