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# ln - Unix, Linux Command

# NAME

ln - make links between files

# SYNOPSIS

ln [OPTION]... [-T] TARGET LINK_NAME (1st form)
ln [OPTION]... TARGET (2nd form)
ln [OPTION]... TARGET... DIRECTORY (3rd form)
ln [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY TARGET... (4th form)

# DESCRIPTION

In the 1st form, create a link to TARGET with the name LINK_NAME. In the 2nd form, create a link to TARGET in the current directory. In the 3rd and 4th forms, create links to each TARGET in DIRECTORY. Create hard links by default, symbolic links with --symbolic. When creating hard links, each TARGET must exist.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

Tag | Description
--- | ---
--backup[=CONTROL]
| make a backup of each existing destination file
-b | like --backup but does not accept an argument
-d, -F, --directory
| allow the superuser to attempt to hard link directories (note: will probably fail due to system restrictions, even for the superuser)
-f, --force
| remove existing destination files
-n, --no-dereference
| treat destination that is a symlink to a directory as if it were a normal file
-i, --interactive
| prompt whether to remove destinations
-s, --symbolic
| make symbolic links instead of hard links
-S, --suffix=SUFFIX
| override the usual backup suffix
-t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY
| specify the DIRECTORY in which to create the links
-T, --no-target-directory
| treat LINK_NAME as a normal file
-v, --verbose
| print name of each file before linking
--help | display this help and exit
--version
| output version information and exit
The backup suffix is ‘~’, unless set with --suffix or SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX. The version control method may be selected via the --backup option or through the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable. Here are the values:
none, off
| never make backups (even if --backup is given)
numbered, t
| make numbered backups
existing, nil
| numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
simple, never
| always make simple backups

# AUTHOR

Written by Mike Parker and David MacKenzie.

# REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.

# COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of the GNU General Public License <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# SEE ALSO

ln is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and ln programs are properly installed at your site, the command

Tag | Description
--- | ---
| info ln

should give you access to the complete manual.

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