What is the difference between soft links and hard links in Unix?

In Unix, soft links (symbolic links) and hard links are two types of links that are used to point to files or directories. The main difference between them is as follows:

• Soft Links: Soft links are references to a file or directory by its path. They are independent files that contain the path to the target file or directory. If the target file or directory is deleted or moved, the soft link becomes broken. Soft links can point to files or directories on the same or different file systems.
• Hard Links: Hard links are additional file entries that point to the same inode (data structure) as the original file. They share the same inode number as the original file. If the original file is deleted, the hard link will still access the file as it is not dependent on the path. Hard links can only point to files on the same file system.

When working with soft links or hard links in Unix, it is important to consider the implications of each type of link and choose the appropriate type based on the requirements of your specific use case.