How to create and remove symbolic links in Linux

When it comes to creating and managing a file in Linux, a unique tool for interconnectivity is the symbolic link Linux. These are essentially shortcuts that point to another file or directory, allowing you to access it from multiple locations. Symbolic links, also known as symlinks act as pointers, creating shortcuts to files and directories elsewhere in your system. Understanding how to create and remove symbolic links allows you to navigate your system more efficiently and organize your files with ease.

In this post, we will discuss what symbolic links are and why we need symbolic links, later we discuss how Linux creates symbolic links and removes symbolic links in Linux. In the end, we discussed some advanced techniques used in symlinks.

What are symbolic links?

Think of symbolic links as special shortcuts on your computer. They don’t copy the actual file, but they point to it, making it seem like the file is in two places at once. This can be handy for organizing files, saving space, or sharing files across different parts of your system. Here are some key points to remember when you working with symbolic links:

1. Symbolic links are like shortcuts, not copies of the original files.
2. Use the “ln -s” command to create them.
3. Use the “unlink” or “rm” command to remove them.
4. Deleting a symbolic link only removes the shortcut, not the original file.

How to create a symbolic link

Creating a symlink is a simple but powerful act. The ln command in Linux is important in this process. Here’s the basic command are as follows:

ln -s target link_name

Where the target is the path to the original file or directory you want to link to, while link_name is the name you want to give to your symbolic link. For instance, to create a symlink named music in your home directory that points to your actual music collection located in /media/music, you would type the following command:

ln -s /media/music music

Here are steps to create a symbolic link:

1. Open the terminal.
2. Use the “ln -s” command to create the symbolic link.
3. Type the path to the original file or folder you want to link to.
4. Choose a name for the shortcut (the symbolic link) that you’ll create.

The following command in Linux creates a symlink named “symlinks.pdf” on your desktop, pointing to the original file in your documents folder.

ln -s /home/user/Documents/original.pdf /Desktop/symlinks.pdf

Remember, symlinks are just pointers, not the actual files. Moving or deleting the symlink itself won’t affect the original file. However, deleting or moving the original file will break the link, rendering it useless.

How to remove a symbolic link

To remove symbolic links is equally straightforward, There are two options to remove symbolic links:

1. unlink command: This command specifically removes symbolic links. Use the following syntax:

unlink link_name

2. rm command: The rm can also handle symlink removal, use the -f flag to avoid confirmation prompts:

rm -f link_name

Here are steps to remove a symbolic link:

1. Use the “unlink” or “rm” command which can delete symbolic links.
2. Type the path to the symbolic link you want to remove.

The following command removes a symbolic link named “symlinks.pdf” from your desktop, but it doesn’t delete files and directories or the original file in your documents folder.

unlink /Desktop/symlinks.pdf

Identify broken symlinks (links pointing to non-existent files) with the ls -l command. The output will show a missing target file, indicating a broken link you can remove.

Advanced symlink techniques

Once you’ve understood the basics, you can move into more advanced symlink creations:

• Linking directories: Use ln -s to create symlinks for directories as well. Just remember, you cannot write directly to a symlinked directory; it will affect the original one.
• Relative paths: Don’t want to type the entire path to the target? Use relative paths to link to files or directories within the current directory or its subdirectories.
• Force-creating symlinks: The -f flag with ln allows you to forcefully create a symlink, even if an existing file with the same name already exists. Be cautious, as this can overwrite existing data.

Why need symbolic links?

The benefits of using symlinks are numerous, Following are some described below:

• Organization: Keep your frequently accessed files or directories readily available in various locations without duplicating data. For example, symlink your project folder in your home directory for easy access.
• Flexibility: Restructure your file system without breaking existing links. Move the original file or directory, and the symlinks will automatically update to point to the new location.
• Space saving: Avoid messing your disk with duplicate data by using symlinks instead of copying files.

Conclusion

Remember, removing a symbolic link doesn’t affect the original file or directory it points to, only the link itself is deleted. Understanding symbolic links will help a new level of control and flexibility within your Linux system. Use them to organize your files efficiently, streamline your workflow, and keep your system running smoothly.

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