How to create soft links and hard links in Linux？

To create soft links and hard links in Linux, you can use the ln command.

To create a soft link (also called a symbolic link), use the -s option followed by the source file and the name of the link:

ln -s /path/to/source/file /path/to/link

For example, to create a soft link to a file called “example.txt” in the home directory, you could use:

ln -s /home/user/example.txt /home/user/mylink

To create a hard link, simply specify the source file and the name of the link:

ln /path/to/source/file /path/to/link

For example, to create a hard link to the same “example.txt” file in the home directory, you could use:

ln /home/user/example.txt /home/user/mylink

Note that with a hard link, both files (the original and the link) have the same inode and are essentially the same file with two different names. With a soft link, the link is a separate file that simply points to the original file.

Also, be careful when deleting links, especially hard links, as it can affect the original file and any other linked files. Use the rm command carefully and make sure you delete only the intended files.

The main difference between soft links and hard links in Linux

The main difference between soft links and hard links in Linux is that a soft link is a separate file that points to the original file while a hard link is a reference to the same file on the disk. This means that if you modify the original file, any hard links to that file will reflect the changes, while soft links will remain unchanged.

Another difference is that soft links can be used to link files across different partitions or file systems, while hard links cannot.

In terms of file permissions, soft links have their own set of permissions that can differ from the original file, while hard links have the same permissions as the original file.

To summarize, both soft links and hard links are useful for linking files, but they have different behaviors and use cases. Soft links are typically used for creating aliases or shortcuts to files and directories, while hard links are used primarily for creating multiple file names that reference the same physical file on the disk.