<p>2 types of link files are present in linux:</p>
<p>Soft link and Hard link</p>
<div class="hn-table">
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<td>Soft link</td><td>Hard link</td></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Shortcut file</td><td>Backup file</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>size of link file is equal to the no of chars in original filename</td><td>size of both files are same</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>If original file is deleted, link is broken and data is lost</td><td>if original file is deleted then also link will contain all data</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>command: ln -s &lt;source_file&gt; &lt;dest_file&gt;</td><td>command: ln &lt;source_file&gt; &lt;dest_file&gt;</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div><p>Soft link is similar to shortcut in windows</p>
<p>To execute command/shellscript from anywhere, create a soft link of the file in /usr/local/bin directory</p>
<p>ex:</p>
<pre><code class="lang-bash">touch hello.sh
cat &gt; hello.sh
<span class="hljs-built_in">echo</span> <span class="hljs-string">"hello world"</span>
^C
</code></pre>
<p>execute this file in same directory:</p>
<pre><code class="lang-bash">./hello.sh
</code></pre>
<p>output: hello world</p>
<pre><code class="lang-bash"><span class="hljs-built_in">cd</span> testdir/
</code></pre>
<p>execute <a href="http://hello.sh" class="autolinkedURL autolinkedURL-url" target="_blank">hello.sh</a> in another directory:</p>
<pre><code class="lang-bash">./hello.sh
</code></pre>
<p>output: -bash: ./<a href="http://hello.sh" class="autolinkedURL autolinkedURL-url" target="_blank">hello.sh</a>: No such file or directory</p>
<p>create a link of this shell script file to directory /usr/local/bin</p>
<pre><code class="lang-bash">ln -s /opt/training/hello.sh /usr/<span class="hljs-built_in">local</span>/bin/hello
</code></pre>
<p>Now execute hello from any directory:</p>
<pre><code class="lang-bash">hello
</code></pre>
<p>output: hello world</p>


2 types of link files are present in linux:

Soft link and Hard link

| Soft link | Hard link |
| --- | --- |
| Shortcut file | Backup file |
| size of link file is equal to the no of chars in original filename | size of both files are same |
| If original file is deleted, link is broken and data is lost | if original file is deleted then also link will contain all data |
| command: ln -s &lt;source\_file&gt; &lt;dest\_file&gt; | command: ln &lt;source\_file&gt; &lt;dest\_file&gt; |

Soft link is similar to shortcut in windows

To execute command/shellscript from anywhere, create a soft link of the file in /usr/local/bin directory

ex:

```bash
touch hello.sh
cat > hello.sh
echo "hello world"
^C
```

execute this file in same directory:

```bash
./hello.sh  
```

output: hello world

```bash
cd testdir/  
```

execute hello.sh in another directory:

```bash
./hello.sh 
```

output: -bash: ./hello.sh: No such file or directory

create a link of this shell script file to directory /usr/local/bin

```bash
ln -s /opt/training/hello.sh /usr/local/bin/hello  
```

Now execute hello from any directory:

```bash
hello
```

output: hello world

Venkateshwar Kurle's Blog

Venkateshwar Kurle's Blog

Link Files in linux

Soft link	Hard link
Shortcut file	Backup file
size of link file is equal to the no of chars in original filename	size of both files are same
If original file is deleted, link is broken and data is lost	if original file is deleted then also link will contain all data
command: ln -s <source_file> <dest_file>	command: ln <source_file> <dest_file>