When working with files and directories, you may have heard of symbolic links (often called symlinks ). They are widely used in Linux, macOS, and even Windows (via WSL or shortcuts) to make file management smarter and more efficient. In this guide, we’ll cover: What is a Symlink? Why Do We Need Symlinks? Practical Scenarios Where Symlinks Are Useful How to Create a Symlink (with macOS Example) Tips and Best Practices 1. What is a Symlink? A symbolic link ( or symlink ) is a type of file that points to another file or directory, much like a shortcut . On Linux/macOS , they’re created via the ln -s command. On Windows , you can create them using mklink . Unlike copying a file, a symlink doesn’t duplicate data. Instead, it tells the operating system, “when someone opens me, go to that original file.” So, in short, A symlink is nothing but a path pointer to another file/folder. 2. Why Do We Need Symlinks? Symlinks exist because sometimes y...
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