link (Unix)

The link utility is a Unix command line program that creates a hard link from an existing directory entry to a new directory entry. It does no more than call the link() system function. It does not perform error checking before attempting to create the link. It returns an exit status that indicates whether the link was created (0 if successful, -1 if an error occurred). Creating a link to a directory entry that is itself a directory requires elevated privileges.

link

Operating system	Unix and Unix-like
Platform	Cross-platform
Type	Command

The ln command is more commonly used as it provides more features: it can create both hard links and symbolic links, and has error checking.

Synopsis

link (-s) source target

source

The pathname of an existing folder or file.

target

The name of the link to be created.

Note that source must specify an existing folder or file, and target must specify a non-existent entry in an existing directory.

Standards

The link command is part of the Single UNIX Specification (SUS), specified in the Shell and Utilities volume of the IEEE 1003.1-2001 standard.

See also

• List of Unix commands
• Unlink (Unix)

External links

• IEEE Std 1003.1-2004 Shell & Utilities volume—list of SUS utilities.
• GNU Coreutils link documentation.