LN(1)
NAME
ln - make links between files
SYNOPSIS
ln [options] source [dest]
ln [options] source... directory
Options:
[-bdfinsvF] [-S backup-suffix] [-V {numbered,existing,sim-
ple}] [--version-control={numbered,existing,simple}]
[--backup] [--directory] [--force] [--interactive]
[--no-dereference] [--symbolic] [--verbose] [--suf-
fix=backup-suffix] [--help] [--version]
DESCRIPTION
This documentation is no longer being maintained and may
be inaccurate or incomplete. The Texinfo documentation is
now the authoritative source.
This manual page documents the GNU version of ln. If the
last argument names an existing directory, ln links each
other given file into a file with the same name in that
directory. If only one file is given, it links that file
into the current directory. Otherwise, if only two files
are given, it links the first onto the second. It is an
error if the last argument is not a directory and more
than two files are given. It makes hard links by default.
By default, it does not remove existing files.
OPTIONS
-b, --backup
Make backups of files that are about to be removed.
-d, -F, --directory
Allow the super-user to make hard links to directo-
ries.
-f, --force
Remove existing destination files.
-i, --interactive
Prompt whether to remove existing destination
files.
-n, --no-dereference
When the specified destination is a symbolic link
to a directory, attempt to replace the symbolic
link rather than dereferencing it to create a link
in the directory to which it points. This option
is most useful in conjunction with --force.
-s, --symbolic
Make symbolic links instead of hard links. This
option produces an error message on systems that do
not support symbolic links.
-v, --verbose
Print the name of each file before linking it.
--help Print a usage message on standard output and exit
successfully.
--version
Print version information on standard output then
exit successfully.
-S, --suffix backup-suffix
The suffix used for making simple backup files can
be set with the SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX environment
variable, which can be overridden by this option.
If neither of those is given, the default is `~',
as it is in Emacs.
-V, --version-control {numbered,existing,simple}
The type of backups made can be set with the VER-
SION_CONTROL environment variable, which can be
overridden by this option. If VERSION_CONTROL is
not set and this option is not given, the default
backup type is `existing'. The value of the VER-
SION_CONTROL environment variable and the argument
to this option are like the GNU Emacs `version-con-
trol' variable; they also recognize synonyms that
are more descriptive. The valid values are (unique
abbreviations are accepted):
`t' or `numbered'
Always make numbered backups.
`nil' or `existing'
Make numbered backups of files that already
have them, simple backups of the others.
`never' or `simple'
Always make simple backups.