Use ln -s TARGET LINK_NAME to create a symbolic link: the target comes first, and the new link name comes second. A symlink stores a pathname rather than file data, so you can redirect a service, release directory, or configuration path without copying content. The sections below show how to choose absolute or relative targets, verify what a link resolves to, switch links during deployments, remove links without deleting their targets, and repair dangling links.
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What a symbolic link is
A symbolic link, or symlink, is a directory entry containing a pathname reference. Programs that open the link normally continue through that pathname to the referenced file or directory. The link itself is not a second copy of the target’s bytes and does not become a hard link to the target’s inode.
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Because the stored value is a pathname, a symlink can become dangling. That happens when the referenced pathname no longer resolves, for example after a file is renamed, a release directory is removed, or a mount is unavailable. GNU Coreutils documents that there are no restrictions against creating dangling symbolic links; creation can succeed even when the target does not yet exist.
Two details determine most symlink behavior:
- The operand order:
ln -s TARGET LINK_NAMEreads as “makeLINK_NAMEpoint toTARGET.” - The target form: an absolute target begins at
/; a relative target is interpreted from the directory that contains the link.
Before you create a link
Decide what path users or a service should access, where the link entry will live, and whether that path will move as a unit. You need write permission for the parent directory that will contain the new link. If the path is under a protected location, run the command with the appropriate administrative account rather than changing broad permissions.
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Quote paths that contain spaces, wildcard characters, or shell metacharacters. The shell expands unquoted wildcard patterns before ln receives them, which can produce a link with an unintended target or destination.
- Check the parent directory with
ls -ld PARENT. - Check whether a destination name already exists before creating the link.
- For a service configuration, validate the link before reloading or restarting the service.
- Treat a directory symlink as a control-plane change: every path below it can switch to another subtree.
Create a symlink to a file
Basic file-link procedure
- Choose the pathname that should be referenced and the pathname users will use.
- Run
ln -swith the target first and link name second. - Inspect the resulting entry with
ls -land, when needed,readlink.
ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/example.conf
ls -l /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/example.conf
readlink /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/example.confThe link in this example stores /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.conf. Accessing /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/example.conf follows that stored pathname. Confirm the result before asking the web server or another daemon to reload its configuration.
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Create a symlink to a directory
The syntax is the same for a directory pathname. The link entry is a single name, but traversing it exposes the entire target subtree.
ln -s /srv/releases/app-2026.10 /srv/app
ls -ld /srv/app
readlink /srv/appAfter this command, applications using /srv/app reach the selected release directory. A directory link is useful for a stable application path, but changing it can redirect reads, writes, logs, and executable files at once. Establish an ownership and change-control expectation before switching a production directory link.
Relative and absolute symlinks
The choice is about how the target pathname is interpreted when the link is used. Neither form is universally superior.
| Property | Relative target | Absolute target |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution base | The directory containing the link | The filesystem root, / |
| Example target text | ../releases/app-2026.10 |
/srv/releases/app-2026.10 |
| Moving the containing tree | Can continue to work when the linked tree and target move together | Still names the original absolute pathname |
| Moving or mounting the tree under another prefix | Usually avoids dependence on that prefix | May point outside the mounted or relocated tree |
| Human readability | Requires reasoning from the link’s parent directory | Immediately shows a complete pathname |
| Typical risk | A mistaken number of .. components points somewhere unexpected |
The fixed pathname is absent or means something different on another host |
When a relative link is appropriate
Use a relative target when a directory tree is intended to be portable as a unit, such as a self-contained web tree with sibling release directories. The target is resolved from the directory that contains the link, not from the shell’s current working directory at the time someone later follows it.
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cd /srv/www/current-parent
ln -s ../releases/app-2026.10 current
readlink /srv/www/currentHere, ../releases/app-2026.10 is interpreted relative to /srv/www/current-parent, the parent directory of current. Running a command from another directory later does not change that interpretation.
GNU ln also provides --relative (or -r) to calculate a relative target from canonicalized paths. This is useful when manually counting parent-directory components would be error-prone.
ln -s --relative /srv/releases/app-2026.10 /srv/www/currentReview the generated link text after using this option. Canonicalization can expose missing components or resolve paths differently from what you intended if the input names are not the tree you meant to package.
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An absolute target is unambiguous on the host where it is created. GNU documentation notes that an absolute symlink continues to point to the same pathname even if the directory containing the link is moved.
ln -s /srv/releases/app-2026.10 /srv/www/currentThis form is often easier to audit in configuration output because the complete destination is visible. It is a poor fit when the same directory tree may be mounted below a different prefix, copied into a chroot-like environment, or shared across machines whose filesystem layouts differ. In those cases the link can remain syntactically valid while resolving to the wrong place or to nothing.
Inspect the stored link and its destination
Use a command that answers the specific question you have. Looking at the link entry and resolving its destination are different operations.
| Command | What it shows | Useful interpretation |
|---|---|---|
ls -l LINK |
The directory listing, including the stored target after -> |
Confirms that the entry is a symlink and displays its text |
readlink LINK |
The exact pathname text stored in the symlink | Distinguishes relative text from an absolute pathname without following it |
readlink -f LINK |
A canonicalized, resolved destination | Shows where the complete path resolves; failure signals a missing component or broken link |
realpath LINK |
The canonical destination pathname | Useful in scripts or diagnostics that need a normalized result |
ls -l /srv/www/current
readlink /srv/www/current
readlink -f /srv/www/current
realpath /srv/www/currentreadlink alone does not prove that the target exists; it prints the stored text. Canonicalizing commands attempt to follow the path, so a nonzero result or no usable pathname is an important indication that a component is absent or inaccessible.
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Test symlinks in shell scripts
Use test -L when you need to distinguish a symlink entry from an ordinary file. Then use test -e to determine whether the link currently resolves to an existing object.
if test -L "$link"; then
printf 'link text: %sn' "$(readlink -- "$link")"
if test -e "$link"; then
printf 'target resolvesn'
else
printf 'dangling linkn' >&2
fi
fiA dangling link is not an invalid symlink object. It is an entry whose stored pathname cannot currently be resolved. Keeping that distinction in deployment and monitoring scripts prevents a missing release from being mistaken for a malformed link.
Change a symlink without deleting the target
Understand replacement behavior
To point a stable name at another release, you replace the link entry; you do not edit the target directory. GNU ln normally refuses to replace an existing destination. Its replacement-related modes have different operational consequences:
| Option | Behavior | Use with care because |
|---|---|---|
-f |
Unconditionally remove the existing destination entry and create the new link | An unexpected path can be replaced without an operator prompt |
-i |
Ask before replacing an existing destination | Automation can stall waiting for input, but it is useful during a supervised change |
-b |
Back up an existing destination before replacement | The backup itself must be named, retained, and managed deliberately |
-T or --no-target-directory |
Treat the destination operand as the link entry, not as a directory into which to place a link | It matters when the destination name is itself a symlink to a directory |
Controlled release switch
For a release pointer, inspect the current resolution, replace the intended entry, and verify the new resolution immediately.
readlink -f /srv/www/current || true
ln -sfn /srv/releases/app-2026.11 /srv/www/current
readlink -f /srv/www/currentThe -n component prevents a symlink-to-directory destination from being treated like a directory in implementations that support that behavior; together with -f, this common GNU form is intended to replace the link entry. Use it only after confirming that /srv/www/current is the expected symlink or destination. If the path could have been replaced by a real directory or by an attacker-controlled link, stop and inspect instead of forcing the operation.
During a change window, use the interactive form when an operator must approve the replacement:
ln -sni /srv/releases/app-2026.11 /srv/www/currentUse a backup mode when retaining the previous entry is part of your rollback procedure, and document where that backup will appear. A backup of a symlink entry does not preserve or duplicate the target directory; it preserves the prior directory entry so you can examine or restore it.
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After switching, validate both the link and the application-level configuration before reloading a service. A link can resolve successfully while the selected release still lacks a required file or has incompatible configuration.
Remove a symlink safely
Remove the link name, not the object it references:
rm -- /srv/www/currentor:
unlink -- /srv/www/currentThese commands remove the directory entry for the symlink. They do not remove the referenced file or directory. Verify the entry with ls -l first, especially when a directory link is involved. Do not add a recursive option merely because the link points to a directory; recursive removal is for traversing real directory contents and is unnecessary for deleting the link entry.
After removal, check the link path and, if the target is important, check the target path separately. The target can remain available to other names even though the symlink no longer provides access through its former pathname.
Find and repair dangling links
Find links whose targets do not resolve
find /srv/www -xtype l -printThe -xtype l test selects symbolic links whose referenced object cannot be found through the specified path. Limit the search to a deliberate scope; running it from a broad root can produce entries owned by unrelated services or users.
Classify each result before changing it
- Read the stored pathname with
readlink -- LINK. - Resolve it with
readlink -f -- LINKorrealpath -- LINKto identify the missing component. - Check whether the target was renamed, a release was intentionally retired, or a mount is temporarily unavailable.
- Recreate the link with the corrected target, restore the expected target path, or remove the stale link according to the service’s ownership and change process.
- Re-run the search and validate the consuming application.
Do not bulk-delete every result. Some dangling links are deliberately created ahead of a deployment or are valid only when a particular filesystem is mounted. Confirm path scope and ownership before repair.
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“File exists” from ln
The destination name is already present. Inspect it with ls -ld DESTINATION and determine whether it is the expected symlink, a real file, or a real directory. For an approved replacement, choose interactive, backup, or force behavior intentionally rather than adding -f reflexively.
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The link appears correct but the application cannot open it
Compare readlink output with readlink -f or realpath. A relative target may be calculated from the wrong parent directory, or an absolute target may not exist in the service’s mount namespace or filesystem layout. Check every parent component and the service’s own access permissions.
A relative link broke after a directory move
Relative resolution depends on the link’s containing directory. If the link and target were not moved together, the same stored text can lead somewhere different. Recreate the link from its new parent or convert it to an absolute target if the destination is intentionally fixed.
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An absolute link broke after a mount or relocation
Absolute resolution starts at /. If the tree is now exposed below another prefix, the old pathname may not exist there. Use a relative link when the target should travel with the tree, or recreate the absolute link for the host’s actual layout.
A directory replacement affected more paths than expected
A directory symlink redirects an entire subtree. Inspect the current and new destinations with readlink -f, identify writers as well as readers, and switch only during a controlled change. If the operation was forced against an unexpected destination, stop and review the directory entry and any backup before attempting another replacement.
Deployment and administration checklist
- Write the target and link name explicitly; remember that the target is the first operand.
- Choose relative links for trees that should move together and absolute links for a deliberately fixed host pathname.
- Inspect the existing destination before replacement.
- Use
--relativewhen GNUlnshould calculate a relative path, then inspect the generated text. - Select
-i,-b, or-faccording to the change procedure; do not treat them as interchangeable. - Use
-Tor--no-target-directorywhen the destination must be replaced as a link entry rather than traversed as a directory. - Resolve the link after creation or replacement and test the application before reloading a service.
- Remove only the symlink entry with
rm -- LINKorunlink -- LINK; never add recursion just because the target is a directory. - Search for dangling links with a scoped
find ... -xtype lcommand and review each result before repair.
GNU and non-GNU portability
The option behavior described here follows GNU Coreutils ln documentation, version 9.11, and the Linux ln(1) manual. Long options such as --relative, --no-target-directory, and the exact interactions of force and backup modes can differ on non-GNU Unix systems. Before placing one of these commands in a portable script, run ln --help and consult the local manual page. The basic symbolic-link operation and the target-first, link-name-second operand order remain the starting point, but scripts should not assume every GNU extension exists elsewhere.
Minimal verification sequence
For a single change, this compact sequence gives you the essential checks without following the target during creation:
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ls -l -- LINK_NAME
readlink -- LINK_NAME
readlink -f -- LINK_NAME
If the final command resolves to the intended canonical pathname, the link is usable at that moment. If it fails, keep the link entry for investigation or remove it deliberately; do not infer success merely because ln accepted the stored pathname.
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