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On Ubuntu 16.04 and 18.04, create a symbolic link with:
ln -s TARGET LINK_NAMETARGET is the file or directory the link should reference; LINK_NAME is the new directory entry. For example:
sudo ln -s /var/www/example/current/public /var/www/example/publicThe GNU ln utility works on both releases. However, Ubuntu 16.04 reached standard security end of life in April 2021 and Ubuntu 18.04 in May 2023. Canonical’s lifecycle information lists limited Ubuntu Pro or legacy coverage, but upgrading to a supported release is the preferred long-term solution: Canonical Ubuntu release cycle.
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What a symlink is
A symbolic link (symlink) is a filesystem entry that stores a pathname to another file or directory. It has its own directory entry and inode, but pathname resolution follows the stored target path when a program opens it.
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- Symlinks can point to files or directories.
- They can refer to paths on another filesystem, provided that filesystem is mounted and accessible.
- They may point to a target that does not yet exist.
- They become dangling when the target is moved or deleted.
- A relative target is interpreted from the directory containing the symlink, not from the shell’s current directory.
The Ubuntu ln documentation describes these semantics in the Bionic man page.
Symlink versus hard link
| Property | Symbolic link | Hard link |
|---|---|---|
| Command | ln -s |
ln |
| References | A pathname | The target inode |
| Directories | Yes | Normally no |
| Crosses filesystems | Yes | No, in ordinary use |
| Target deleted | Becomes dangling | Data remains while another hard link exists |
| Typical use | Alternate paths and release switching | Additional names for the same file data |
Hard links normally require an existing target and are restricted for directories. Symlinks are pathname indirection, not merely graphical shortcuts.
Before you create one
- Use a terminal.
- You need read and search (execute) permission through the target path.
- You need write permission in the directory that will contain the link.
- Use
sudofor system-owned locations such as/etc,/usr/local,/var/www, and/opt. - Back up or inspect production paths before replacing them.
Put sudo before the command, not around one of its path arguments:
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sudo ln -s /opt/myapp/current /var/www/myappCreate a symlink
File example
mkdir -p ~/symlink-demo
printf 'hellon' > ~/symlink-demo/original.txt
ln -s ~/symlink-demo/original.txt ~/symlink-demo/link.txtInspect the directory:
ls -l ~/symlink-demoYou should see a pattern like link.txt -> /home/username/symlink-demo/original.txt. The argument order is always:
ln -s TARGET LINK_NAMEDirectory example
mkdir -p ~/symlink-demo/real-directory
ln -s ~/symlink-demo/real-directory ~/symlink-demo/directory-link
touch ~/symlink-demo/directory-link/test.txt
ls -l ~/symlink-demo/real-directorytest.txt appears in the real directory because the directory symlink is followed. For predictable scripts, use explicit paths and avoid relying on ambiguous trailing-slash behavior.
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Link several targets into a directory
ln -s /opt/tools/tool-a /opt/tools/tool-b /usr/local/bin/Or specify the destination first:
sudo ln -s -t /usr/local/bin /opt/tools/tool-a /opt/tools/tool-bBoth forms are documented in the Ubuntu Bionic ln manual.
Absolute and relative symlinks
| Type | Example | Strengths | Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute | ln -s /srv/releases/app-2026-08-18 /srv/app/current |
Easy to read; independent of the caller’s current directory | Breaks if the directory tree moves |
| Relative | cd /srv/app && ln -s ../releases/app-2026-08-18 current |
The tree can move together; useful for deployable bundles | Breaks if only part of the tree moves; path calculation must be correct |
On both releases, ln can calculate a relative target:
ln -sr /srv/releases/app-2026-08-18 /srv/app/currentA relative link is resolved from the symlink’s containing directory. It is more relocatable only when that relative directory structure remains intact.
Inspect and verify a link
ls -ld /path/to/link
readlink /path/to/link
readlink -f /path/to/link
stat /path/to/link
stat -c '%N' /path/to/link
namei -l /path/to/linkls -lddescribes the directory entry itself, including a directory symlink.readlinkprints the stored target text.readlink -fresolves the complete canonical path when the target can be resolved; see the Ubuntureadlinkmanual.stat -c '%N'displays the link without silently treating it as its target.namei -lshows each path component and its permissions.
Distinguish the link from its target:
test -L /path/to/link && echo "It is a symlink"
test -e /path/to/link && echo "Its target currently exists"A dangling symlink satisfies -L but fails -e.
Replace or update a symlink
A symlink is not edited in place. For an important path, inspect, remove, recreate, and verify:
readlink /srv/app/current
rm /srv/app/current
ln -s ../releases/app-2026-08-19 /srv/app/current
readlink -f /srv/app/currentA common deployment shortcut is:
ln -sfn ../releases/app-2026-08-19 /srv/app/current-f removes an existing destination and -n prevents a symlink-to-directory destination from being treated as a directory. The result depends on what already exists, so do not treat ln -sf as universally risk-free. For high-consequence paths, use the explicit sequence above.
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Remove a symlink safely
ls -ld /path/to/link
readlink /path/to/link
rm /path/to/linkunlink /path/to/link is another way to remove the link itself. Neither command removes the target when the supplied path is the symlink.
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rm -rf /path/to/linkA trailing slash, as in rm /path/to/directory-link/, asks the system to treat the path as a directory and can change the operation. For a directory symlink, use the path without the trailing slash and verify with test -L.
Find and repair broken links
To list symlinks that cannot be followed:
find -L /path/to/search -type lFor a report that preserves unusual filenames:
find /path/to/search -type l -print0 |
while IFS= read -r -d '' link; do
if [ ! -e "$link" ]; then
printf 'Broken: %s -> %sn' "$link" "$(readlink "$link")"
fi
doneDiagnose a “No such file or directory” result with:
ls -ld /path/to/link
readlink /path/to/link
readlink -f /path/to/link
namei -l /path/to/link- Check whether the target was moved or renamed.
- Recalculate relative paths from the link’s parent directory.
- Check every parent directory for missing search permission.
- Check spelling and case.
- Confirm that a required mount is available.
- Check whether the link was created inside a chroot or container whose filesystem has different paths.
Symlink loops
If links eventually point back to themselves, commands may fail with Too many levels of symbolic links. Use readlink and namei -l to identify the cycle, then remove or correct one directory entry rather than recursively deleting the path.
Permissions, services, and security
A symlink grants no permissions. Access still depends on the target, execute/search permission on every parent directory, mount options, the identity of the process, and controls such as AppArmor or SELinux where enabled.
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A link that works in your shell may fail for Apache, Nginx, systemd, or cron because those services run as different users. For example:
sudo ln -s /srv/app/shared/uploads /var/www/app/uploadsThe web server must still be able to traverse /srv, /srv/app, and /srv/app/shared, and access the target with the required read or write permissions.
Do not let root-owned scripts blindly follow links in directories writable by untrusted users. A link can be replaced between validation and use, creating a symlink attack; use controlled ownership and safer filesystem operations for security-sensitive workflows.
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Versioned application releases
sudo ln -s /srv/releases/app-2026-08-18 /srv/app/currentApplications can use /srv/app/current while deployments switch that link to another release. Relative links are useful when the entire application tree is moved together.
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sudo ln -s /etc/example/sites-available/site.conf
/etc/example/sites-enabled/site.confThis “available/enabled” arrangement is an application convention, not a universal Ubuntu rule. Validate the application’s configuration before reloading its service.
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Stable command path
sudo ln -s /opt/tools/tool-a /usr/local/bin/tool-aUsers can invoke the tool through a stable path while the actual installation remains under /opt.
Copying, backups, and alternatives
Decide whether a backup should preserve the link or copy the target’s contents. For cp, -P preserves symlinks and -L follows them; recursive defaults can vary by invocation, so check the local manuals:
man cp
man tarPreserve links when reproducing a filesystem layout; dereference them only when you intentionally want the target data.
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- Bind mounts: expose a directory at another path without a symlink, but require mount privileges and persistence through
/etc/fstabor a systemd mount unit. - Hard links: retain the inode when one name is removed, but generally cannot target directories or cross filesystems.
Choose a symlink when a stable alternate pathname, release switch, configuration toggle, or cross-filesystem reference is useful. Avoid it when software does not support links, a self-contained copy is required, a mount or container boundary is unreliable, or an untrusted user can control the path.
Command quick reference
| Command or option | Purpose |
|---|---|
ln -s TARGET LINK |
Create a symbolic link |
ln -sr TARGET LINK |
Create a relative symbolic link |
ln -sfn TARGET LINK |
Common forced replacement shortcut; inspect directory cases carefully |
ln -t DIR TARGET... |
Create links inside a specified directory |
readlink LINK |
Show stored target text |
readlink -f LINK |
Resolve a canonical target path |
test -L LINK |
Check that the path itself is a symlink |
test -e LINK |
Check that the resolved target exists |
rm LINK or unlink LINK |
Remove the symlink entry |
find -L ROOT -type l |
Find dangling symlinks |
For option details on Ubuntu 16.04 and 18.04, consult the release-specific manuals: Xenial ln and Bionic ln.
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