# man > ln(1)

> **TLDR:** Create links to files and directories.
>
- Create a symbolic link to a file or directory:
  `ln {{-s|--symbolic}} /{{path/to/file_or_directory}} {{path/to/symlink}}`
- Create a symbolic link relative to where the link is located:
  `ln {{-s|--symbolic}} {{path/to/file_or_directory}} {{path/to/symlink}}`
- Overwrite an existing symbolic link to point to a different file:
  `ln {{-sf|--symbolic --force}} /{{path/to/new_file}} {{path/to/symlink}}`
- Create a hard link to a file:
  `ln /{{path/to/file}} {{path/to/hardlink}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

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[_LN_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/LN/1/markdown)                                       User Commands                                      [_LN_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/LN/1/markdown)

## NAME
       ln - make links between files

## SYNOPSIS
       **ln **[_OPTION_]... [_-T_] _TARGET_ _LINK_NAME_
       **ln **[_OPTION_]... _TARGET_
       **ln **[_OPTION_]... _TARGET_... _DIRECTORY_
       **ln **[_OPTION_]... _-t_ _DIRECTORY_ _TARGET_...

## 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 TAR‐
       GET in DIRECTORY.  Create hard links by default, symbolic links with **--symbolic**.  By default,
       each destination (name of new link) should not already exist.  When creating hard links, each
       TARGET must exist.  Symbolic links can hold arbitrary text; if  later  resolved,  a  relative
       link is interpreted in relation to its parent directory.

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

       **--backup**[=_CONTROL_]
              make a backup of each existing destination file

### -b      --backup 

### -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

### -i --interactive
              prompt whether to remove destinations

### -L --logical
              dereference TARGETs that are symbolic links

### -n --no-dereference
              treat LINK_NAME as a normal file if it is a symbolic link to a directory

### -P --physical
              make hard links directly to symbolic links

### -r --relative
              with **-s**, create links relative to link location

### -s --symbolic
              make symbolic links instead of hard links

### -S --suffix
              override the usual backup suffix

### -t --target-directory
              specify the DIRECTORY in which to create the links

### -T --no-target-directory
              treat LINK_NAME as a normal file always

### -v --verbose
              print name of each linked file

       **--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 con‐
       trol method may be selected via the **--backup **option or through the  VERSION_CONTROL  environ‐
       ment 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

       Using  **-s  **ignores  **-L **and **-P**.  Otherwise, the last option specified controls behavior when a
       TARGET is a symbolic link, defaulting to **-P**.

## AUTHOR
       Written by Mike Parker and David MacKenzie.

## REPORTING BUGS
       GNU coreutils online help: <<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>>
       Report any translation bugs to <<https://translationproject.org/team/>>

## COPYRIGHT
       Copyright © 2023 Free Software Foundation, Inc.  License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3  or  later
       <<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>>.
       This  is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.  There is NO WARRANTY, to
       the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO
       [**link**(2)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/link/2/markdown), [**symlink**(2)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/symlink/2/markdown)

       Full documentation <<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/ln>>
       or available locally via: info '(coreutils) ln invocation'

GNU coreutils 9.4                           January 2026                                       [_LN_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/LN/1/markdown)