This guide explains how to create, change, and delete symbolic links in Linux for folders. Symbolic links are also known as symlink or soft links, they are pointers to another file or directory in the Linux file system. They are useful for creating shortcuts or aliases to files and directories.
This article provides systematic instructions on how to create symbolic links specifically for folders in Linux.
Create a symbolic link to a folder in Linux –
Let us follow the simple steps-
- To create a symbolic link to a folder, you can use the ln command with the -s option followed by the target directory and the name of the symbolic link.
- Here is the syntax-
ln -s /path/to/target/directory /path/to/symbolic/link
For example-
ln -s /home/user/documents /home/user/sheet_link
This command will create a symbolic link named sheet_link in the /home/user directory that points to the documents folder.
Change the symbolic link in Linux-
If you wish to change the target directory of an existing symbolic link, you can simply remove the old link and create a new one pointing to the desired directory using the steps mentioned above.
Delete a symbolic link in Linux-
You can use the rm command followed by the path to the symbolic link-
rm /path/to/symbolic/link
For example-
rm /home/user/sheet_link
This command will delete the symbolic link named sheet_link in the /home/user directory.
Important Notes-
- When creating symbolic links, you can use either absolute paths (starting from the root directory) or relative paths (relative to the current directory). It is recommended to use absolute paths to avoid confusion.
- Ensure that you have appropriate permissions to create, modify, or delete symbolic links and their target directories. Use the ls -l command to check the permissions and ownership of files and directories.
- Symbolic links differ from hard links in that they are independent files that contain a reference to the target file or directory, whereas hard links are directory entries that point directly to the target inode. Symbolic links can cross filesystem boundaries and can point to directories, while hard links cannot.
This way, you can Create, change, and delete symbolic links for folders in Linux. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can effectively manage symbolic links to organize and access files and directories in your Linux system.
