Windows hard links vs soft links

This behavior can be changed in some editors by forcing a save over the original file instead. Instead, use the rmdir command, the linkd utility, or fsutil if using WinXP or above or a third party tool to remove the junction point without affecting the target.

A number of applications are available for creating links in Windows including those bundled with the operating system and third-party tools. Some of the more well known are summarized below. If no flag used, creates a Symbolic Link for a file default. Maxi-Pedia — Mklink in Windows. Maxi-Pedia — Difference between symbolic link and hard link. When the counter indicates 0 value, then the inode is emptied. Whenever you make any changes to the hard link, it will imitate in the original file.

Soft links are usually an alternative path or an alias for the original file; these are also referred to as symbolic links. When a file is accessed the soft link redirects it to the target file through the path written in the subject of the soft link. These are very handy in case of windows OS where the soft link behaves as shortcuts. Creation and deletion of the soft links do not affect the original file. If the target file is deleted the soft link dangles which means it points nowhere and generates an error message when the target file is accessed.

Soft links do not use inode number, unlike hard link. An absolute or a relative path could be a part of the symbolic links. Hard Link : A hard link acts as a copy mirrored of the selected file. It accesses the data available in the original file. If the earlier selected file is deleted, the hard link to the file will still contain the data of that file.

Soft Link : A soft link also known as Symbolic link acts as a pointer or a reference to the file name. It does not access the data available in the original file. If the earlier file is deleted, the soft link will be pointing to a file that does not exist anymore. Files that are soft linked take a different inode number. Directories Hard links are not allowed for directories. For information about symbolic links, see Creating Symbolic Links.

A hard link is the file system representation of a file by which more than one path references a single file in the same volume. To create a hard link, use the CreateHardLink function. Any changes to that file are instantly visible to applications that access it through the hard links that reference it.

However, the directory entry size and attribute information is updated only for the link through which the change was made. Note that the attributes on the file are reflected in every hard link to that file, and changes to that file's attributes propagate to all the hard links.