syntax to create a hardlink:
# ln soure_file new_file
Hard Link:
This type of link files will share the same inode number with original files.In other words, “file” and hard link will share the physical data.
bash-3.00# ln /var/tmp/brerr /var/brerr_hardlink
bash-3.00# ls -l /var/brerr_hardlink
-rw-r--r-- 2 root root 304 Jul 17 14:12 /var/brerr_hardlink
bash-3.00# file /var/brerr_hardlink
/var/brerr_hardlink: ascii text
In the below example, i have created hard link “brerr_hardlink” for file “brerr” which is located under /var/tmp.
Both files are reading the same data location.
bash-3.00# cat /var/tmp/brerr
Thu Jun 28 14:20:38 IST 2012.
Java Accessibility Bridge for GNOME loaded.
bash-3.00# cat /var/brerr_hardlink
Thu Jun 28 14:20:38 IST 2012.
Java Accessibility Bridge for GNOME loaded.
Editable data also available since its pointing to same inode.
bash-3.00# vi /var/tmp/brerr
"/var/tmp/brerr" 8 lines, 304 characters
Thu Jun 28 14:20:38 IST 2012.
Java Accessibility Bridge for GNOME loaded.
edited by linges
:wq!
bash-3.00#
bash-3.00# cat /var/brerr_hardlink
Thu Jun 28 14:20:38 IST 2012.
Java Accessibility Bridge for GNOME loaded.
edited by linges
If you remove the original file ,it will just remove the file name not inode.So still you can access to the hard link file .
bash-3.00# rm /var/tmp/brerr
bash-3.00# cat /var/brerr_hardlink
Thu Jun 28 14:20:38 IST 2012.
Java Accessibility Bridge for GNOME loaded.
edited by linges
- You can not create hard link across the filesystem.
Symbolic (soft) link:
Soft link is nothing but shortcut in windows terminology .If you remove the source file , you soft link will become invalid.
syntax:
# ln -s soure_file new_file
Here i am creating soft link for file "VRTS6.0.tar" in /opt with name of "tar_file"
bash-3.00# ln -s /var/tmp/VRTS6.0.tar /opt/tar_file
bash-3.00# file /opt/tar_file
/opt/tar_file: USTAR tar archive
bash-3.00# ls -l /opt/tar_file
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 20 Jul 25 18:16 /opt/tar_file -> /var/tmp/VRTS6.0.tar
Advantage over hard-link:
- You can create soft link across the filesystem .
Thank you for reading this article.Please leave a comment if you have any doubt ,i will get back to you as soon as possible.
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