Uses of Symbolic Link (Soft Link) in Linux

Some of the uses of Symbolic Link in Linux are as follows:

Shortcut to Files and Directories

A symbolic link acts like a shortcut or alias that points to another file or directory. For example, you can create a link to a frequently used configuration file in your home directory for quick access.

Access Files Across Locations

Allows access to files stored in different directories without duplicating data.
Useful when files are stored in a complex directory structure but need to be accessed from multiple locations.

Save Disk Space

Unlike copying, a symbolic link does not duplicate the actual content, saving disk space while providing multiple access points.

Maintain File Versions

Developers can use symbolic links to always point to the latest version of a software or library without changing paths.
Example: /usr/bin/python can be a symbolic link to python3.12.

Shared Data Management

Useful for shared resources where multiple users or applications need access to the same file.

Flexible File Organization

Enables rearranging directories or files without breaking scripts or programs that rely on specific paths.

Example Command

You can use the ln command to create a symbolic link:

$ ln -s /path/to/original /path/to/linkname

-s flag → creates a symbolic (soft) link
/path/to/original → the target file or directory
/path/to/linkname → the name of the symbolic link