How to use the command 'link' (with examples)

The link command is used to create a hard link to an existing file. A hard link is a reference to the same underlying file on disk, so any changes made to one hard link will be reflected in all other hard links.

Use case 1: Create a hard link from a new file to an existing file

Code:

link path/to/existing_file path/to/new_file

Motivation: Creating a hard link can be useful when you want to access the same file from multiple locations on your file system. By creating a hard link, you can have multiple file paths pointing to the same underlying file, allowing you to access and modify it from any of these locations.

Explanation:

• link: The command itself.
• path/to/existing_file: The path to the existing file that you want to create a hard link to.
• path/to/new_file: The path where you want to create the new hard link.

Example output:

$ link /home/user/documents/file.txt /home/user/desktop/link_to_file.txt

In this example, a hard link named “link_to_file.txt” is created on the desktop that points to the file located at “/home/user/documents/file.txt”.

Conclusion:

The link command is a useful tool for creating hard links to existing files. It allows you to access the same file from multiple locations, making it easier to organize and manage your files.