# ln

## NAME



           ln - make links between files
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **ln**[_OPTION_]... [_-T_] _TARGET LINK_NAME_
           **ln**[_OPTION_]... _TARGET_
           **ln**[_OPTION_]... _TARGET_... _DIRECTORY_
           **ln**[_OPTION_]... _-t DIRECTORY TARGET_...
    


## DESCRIPTION



           In the 1st form, create a link to TARGET with the name LINK_NAME.
           In the 2nd form, create a link to TARGET in the current directory.
           In the 3rd and 4th forms, create links to each TARGET in
           DIRECTORY.  Create hard links by default, symbolic links with
           **--symbolic**.  By default, each destination (name of new link)
           should not already exist.  When creating hard links, each TARGET
           must exist.  Symbolic links can hold arbitrary text; if later
           resolved, a relative link is interpreted in relation to its parent
           directory.
    
           Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short
           options too.
    
           **--backup**[=_CONTROL_]
                  make a backup of each existing destination file
    
           **-b** like **--backup** but does not accept an argument
    
           **-d** , **-F** , **--directory**
                  allow the superuser to attempt to hard link directories
                  (this will probably fail due to system restrictions, even
                  for the superuser)
    
           **-f** , **--force**
                  remove existing destination files
    
           **-i** , **--interactive**
                  prompt whether to remove destinations
    
           **-L** , **--logical**
                  dereference TARGETs that are symbolic links
    
           **-n** , **--no-dereference**
                  treat LINK_NAME as a normal file if it is a symbolic link
                  to a directory
    
           **-P** , **--physical**
                  make hard links directly to symbolic links
    
           **-r** , **--relative**
                  with **-s** , create links relative to link location
    
           **-s** , **--symbolic**
                  make symbolic links instead of hard links
    
           **-S** , **--suffix** =_SUFFIX_
                  override the usual backup suffix
    
           **-t** , **--target-directory** =_DIRECTORY_
                  specify the DIRECTORY in which to create the links
    
           **-T** , **--no-target-directory**
                  treat LINK_NAME as a normal file always
    
           **-v** , **--verbose**
                  print name of each linked file
    
           **--help** display this help and exit
    
           **--version**
                  output version information and exit
    
           The backup suffix is '~', unless set with **--suffix** or
           SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX.  The version control method may be selected
           via the **--backup** option or through the VERSION_CONTROL environment
           variable.  Here are the values:
    
           none, off
                  never make backups (even if **--backup** is given)
    
           numbered, t
                  make numbered backups
    
           existing, nil
                  numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise
    
           simple, never
                  always make simple backups
    
           Using **-s** ignores **-L** and **-P**.  Otherwise, the last option specified
           controls behavior when a TARGET is a symbolic link, defaulting to
           **-P**.
    


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