Unix Third Edition: Visual Quickstart Guide

Linking with ln (Hard Links)

Suppose your boss just hired an assistant for you (’bout time, right?). You’ll need to make sure your new helper can access your files so you can pawn off your work on him. And, you’ll need to access the revised files just so you can keep up with what your helper’s been doing—and perhaps take credit for his work at the next staff meeting.

A great way to give your helper easy access to your files is to create a hard link from your home directory. In making a hard link, all you’re doing is starting with an existing file and creating a link, which (sort of) places the existing file in your helper’s home directory. The link does not create a copy of the file; instead, you’re creating a second pointer to the same physical ...