LN(1)LN(1)NAMEln - make links
SYNOPSISln [ -s ] sourcename [ targetname ]
ln [ -s ] sourcename1 sourcename2 [ sourcename3 ... ] targetdirectory
DESCRIPTION
A link is a directory entry referring to a file; the same file
(together with its size, all its protection information, etc.) may
have several links to it. There are two kinds of links: hard links and
symbolic links.
By default ln makes hard links. A hard link to a file is
indistinguishable from the original directory entry; any changes to a
file are effective independent of the name used to reference the file.
Hard links may not span file systems and may not refer to directories.
The -s option causes ln to create symbolic links. A symbolic link
contains the name of the file to which it is linked. The referenced
file is used when an open(2) operation is performed on the link. A
stat(2) on a symbolic link will return the linked-to file; an lstat(2)
must be done to obtain information about the link. The readlink(2)
call may be used to read the contents of a symbolic link. Symbolic
links may span file systems and may refer to directories.
Given one or two arguments, ln creates a link to an existing file
sourcename. If targetname is given, the link has that name; targetname
may also be a directory in which to place the link; otherwise it is
placed in the current directory. If only the directory is specified,
the link will be made to the last component of sourcename.
Given more than two arguments, ln makes links in targetdirectory to all
the named source files. The links made will have the same name as the
files being linked to.
SEE ALSOrm(1), cp(1), mv(1), link(2), readlink(2), stat(2), symlink(2)4th Berkeley Distribution April 10, 1986 LN(1)