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Hard-link&Soft-link.md

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Hard Link and Soft Link in Linux

In Linux, links are used to create references to files. There are two types:

1️⃣ Hard Link → A duplicate entry pointing to the same inode (same data).
2️⃣ Soft Link (Symbolic Link) → A shortcut pointing to the file’s path.

1️⃣ Hard Link

  • A hard link creates an additional name for a file.
  • Both the original and hard link share the same inode and data.
  • Deleting the original file does not affect the hard link.

Command to Create a Hard Link

ln original_file hard_link_name

Example:

touch file1        # Create a file
ln file1 file1_hardlink  # Create a hard link
ls -li file1 file1_hardlink  # Check inode numbers

✔ Both files will have the same inode number, meaning they point to the same data.

Delete the Original File and Check the Hard Link

rm file1
cat file1_hardlink  # Still accessible!

✔ Hard links are independent and persist even if the original file is deleted.

2️⃣ Soft Link (Symbolic Link)

  • A soft link is like a shortcut that points to the file’s path, not the data.
  • It has a different inode from the original file.
  • If the original file is deleted, the soft link breaks (becomes invalid).

Command to Create a Soft Link

ln -s original_file soft_link_name

Example:

ln -s file1 file1_softlink
ls -l file1 file1_softlink  # Shows a symbolic link

✔ The soft link points to file1 (file1 -> file1_softlink).

Delete the Original File and Check the Soft Link

rm file1
cat file1_softlink  # Error: No such file or directory!

✔ The soft link breaks if the original file is removed.

Differences Between Hard and Soft Links

Feature Hard Link Soft Link
Type Duplicate file name Shortcut (path reference)
Inode Number Same as original Different from original
Works Across Filesystems ❌ No ✅ Yes
Works for Directories ❌ No ✅ Yes (but risky)
Survives Original File Deletion ✅ Yes ❌ No (breaks)

Conclusion

  • ✅ Use Hard Links for backup purposes (files stay even if original is deleted).
  • ✅ Use Soft Links for shortcuts and linking files across directories.

🚀 Now you know how to use hard and soft links in Linux! 💡