How to create a symbolic link (symlink) in Terminal?
Jul 17, 2025 am 12:04 AMSymbol links are special files pointing to another file or directory. The method of creation is to use the ln -s command, with the syntax of ln -s [target path] [link path], such as ln -s /Users/yourname/Development/myproject ~/Desktop/myproject; precautions include ensuring the correct path, avoiding duplicate names, checking permissions, and paying attention to the current directory location when using relative paths, otherwise the link may be invalid.
Creating a symbolic link (symlink) is actually not difficult in the terminal, just remember a few key points. It is essentially a "shortcut" pointing to another file or directory, and is very common in macOS or Linux systems, especially suitable for managing project files or saving space.
What are symbolic links?
Symbol links, also called soft links, are special file types that do not contain actual data, but rather paths to another file or directory. You can understand it as a "shortcut" in Windows, but it is more powerful and flexible. When you access a symbolic link, the system will automatically jump to the real location it points to.
How to create symlink with Terminal?
Use the ln
command to create symbolic links, the syntax is as follows:
ln -s [target path] [link path]
-
-s
means that the created soft link (symbolic link) - The target path is the original file or directory you want to be linked
- The link path is the name or location of the shortcut you created
For example:
You want to create a link called myproject
on the desktop, pointing to /Users/yourname/Development/myproject
, and the command is:
ln -s /Users/yourname/Development/myproject ~/Desktop/myproject
After running, a link icon will appear on the desktop. Clicking on it is equivalent to opening the original directory.
Note: If you prompt "File exists", it means that there is already a file or link with the same name. You can delete or change the name first.
Several FAQs and Notes
- Permissions issue : If you do not have permission to access the target path, an error may occur. You can use
ls -l
to view permissions. - Relative path vs Absolute path : You can use relative paths to create links, but pay attention to the location of the current directory, otherwise the link may fail.
- Move or delete the original file : Once the original file is deleted or moved, the link will become a "dead link" and cannot be accessed.
Summarize how to do it
- Use the
ln -s
command to create a soft link - Make sure the target path is correct and avoid path errors that cause link failure
- Avoid duplicate names and pay attention to permissions
- If you are not sure, use
ls -l
to check whether there is already a link or a file exists
Basically these are the operations. Although it seems simple, problems can also occur if you accidentally handle the path or ignore permissions in actual use.
The above is the detailed content of How to create a symbolic link (symlink) in Terminal?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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