Comments on: Create a hard link in UNIX http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/173/create-a-hard-link-in-unix/ Computer and technology tutorials and guides Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:01:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bernard Valentin http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/173/create-a-hard-link-in-unix/comment-page-1/#comment-33803 Bernard Valentin Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:04:00 +0000 guid-fix-me!#comment-33803 Hard links allow a file to exist in several folders while not being duplicated on disk (this is the reason hard links cannot be used across file systems). Actually, one can consider that any file is "hard linked" at least ones, in the folder it has been created. The OS and the applications do not make any distinction between the original location and the "hard linked" ones. E.g. if you store a file in folder A and create a hard link to the file in folder B, the file will be seen by any application as existing at both places (which is not always the case with symbolic links). If you delete the file from folder A, it will still "exist" in folder B, exactly as if it has been created there at the first place. Creating hard links is thus a way to prevent losing data by deleting files by accident. Symbolic links, on the other hand, do not prevent losing data: they are small data structures that contain the path (possibly across file systems) and name of the target file. If the target file is deleted, the data is lost and the symbolic link is "broken". If you want to go deeper, read how inodes are used in Un*x file systems. Hard links allow a file to exist in several folders while not being duplicated on disk (this is the reason hard links cannot be used across file systems). Actually, one can consider that any file is “hard linked” at least ones, in the folder it has been created. The OS and the applications do not make any distinction between the original location and the “hard linked” ones.
E.g. if you store a file in folder A and create a hard link to the file in folder B, the file will be seen by any application as existing at both places (which is not always the case with symbolic links). If you delete the file from folder A, it will still “exist” in folder B, exactly as if it has been created there at the first place. Creating hard links is thus a way to prevent losing data by deleting files by accident.
Symbolic links, on the other hand, do not prevent losing data: they are small data structures that contain the path (possibly across file systems) and name of the target file. If the target file is deleted, the data is lost and the symbolic link is “broken”.
If you want to go deeper, read how inodes are used in Un*x file systems.

]]> By: juhi http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/173/create-a-hard-link-in-unix/comment-page-1/#comment-46394 juhi Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:16:00 +0000 guid-fix-me!#comment-46394 hey plz tell me the advantages of hard link...why is this useful? hey plz tell me the advantages of hard link…why is this useful?

]]> By: BnB http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/173/create-a-hard-link-in-unix/comment-page-1/#comment-45867 BnB Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:46:00 +0000 guid-fix-me!#comment-45867 I agree with karelc above. This is a totally inaccurate title, and douches like you should pick up a linux book and get a hold of your basics, before being allowed to post articles on the web. I agree with karelc above.

This is a totally inaccurate title, and douches like you should pick up a linux book and get a hold of your basics, before being allowed to post articles on the web.

]]> By: BnB http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/173/create-a-hard-link-in-unix/comment-page-1/#comment-45868 BnB Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:46:00 +0000 guid-fix-me!#comment-45868 I agree with karelc above. This is a totally inaccurate article, and douches like you should pick up a linux book and get a hold of your basics, before being allowed to post articles on the web. I agree with karelc above.

This is a totally inaccurate article, and douches like you should pick up a linux book and get a hold of your basics, before being allowed to post articles on the web.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/173/create-a-hard-link-in-unix/comment-page-1/#comment-24741 Anonymous Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:24:00 +0000 guid-fix-me!#comment-24741 Removing the original file will not destroy the linked file, and therefore the information is not lost. The contents only disappear when all links have been removed Removing the original file will not destroy the linked file, and therefore the information is not lost. The contents only disappear when all links have been removed

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