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Linux Beginner

What is Symbolic Link?

A special file that acts as a shortcut pointing to another file or directory in the filesystem.

A symbolic link (symlink) is a reference to another file or directory. Unlike hard links, symlinks can cross filesystem boundaries and link to directories. They are created with ln -s.

If the target file is deleted, the symlink becomes a "dangling" link pointing to nothing. Symlinks are widely used for version management, configuration shortcuts, and library linking.

Related Terms

Iptables
The traditional Linux firewall tool that filters network packets using configurable chains of rules organized in tables.
Shell
A command-line interface that interprets user commands and passes them to the operating system for execution.
SELinux
Security-Enhanced Linux — a mandatory access control system that confines programs to minimum required privileges beyond standard file permissions.
Journald
The systemd journal daemon that collects and stores log data from services, the kernel, and boot messages in a structured binary format.
Systemd Timer
A systemd unit that triggers services on a schedule or at specific events, serving as a modern alternative to cron jobs.
AppArmor
A Linux security module that restricts program capabilities using per-application profiles, simpler to configure than SELinux.
 View All Linux Terms →