Difference Between Soft Link and Hard Link in Unix/Linux File Systems

In Unix/Linux file systems, soft links and hard links are two different types of links used to create references to files or directories. The main difference between them lies in how they are implemented and their behavior.

Soft Link (Symbolic Link)

A soft link, also known as a symbolic link, is a pointer to the target file or directory. It acts as a shortcut to the target and can be created across different file systems. If the target is deleted, the soft link becomes broken. Soft links can link to directories and files.

Hard Link

A hard link is a exact duplicate of the target file or directory. It is essentially a second instance of the target, sharing the same inode number. If the original file is deleted, the hard link still retains the data as it points to the same location on the disk. Hard links can only link to files, not directories.

Key Differences

• Soft links are pointers to the target file, while hard links are duplicate instances of the target.
• Soft links can cross file system boundaries, whereas hard links cannot.
• If the target is deleted, soft links become broken, but hard links retain the data.
• Soft links can link to both files and directories, while hard links can only link to files.

Understanding the difference between soft links and hard links is crucial for managing file systems efficiently in Unix/Linux environments.