Every Linux and Unix filesystem has many hard links and symbolic links. Every link is a connectivity between the filename and the actual data byte in the disk space of the system. Above the one filename can link to the same data in the system.
Linux or Unix system has two links which are below :
1.Hard Links2.Soft Links
Hard Links description
It is the low-level links.
It links more than one filename with the same Inode and it represents the physical location of a file.
If Hard link is created for a file, then it can directly points to the Inode of the original file in disk space. That means no new Inode is created. The Linux directories are not created using hard links. That is can not cross filesystem boundaries of Linux. If the source file is removed or moved, then hard links are not affected actually it can save.
Soft Links or Symbolic Links description
Soft links are very common. That can represents a virtual or abstract location of the file in Linux system. It is just like the shortcuts created in Windows.
The soft link doesn’t contain any information or content of the linked file, instead it has a pointer to the location of the linked file.
A new file is created with new Inode, having a pointer to the Inode location of the original file in Linux system.
That is used to create link between directories and can cross filesystem boundaries. If the source file is removed or moved. It can soft links are not updated.
No we can study in deep about both the links. How we can to create it and remove it in our system.
Linux File Link Topics:
InodesDirectoriesHard linksSoft linksTo remove a link
The link is a very handy way to create a shortcut to an original directory. Link is used in many instances. Many times to create a convenient path to a directory buried deep within the file hierarchy.
You’re going to want to know more about using links. If you issue the command man ln, you can read the manual page for the ln command and gain an even more in-depth understanding as to how links work.