What is a 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.
Advantages of Hard Link
- It makes efficient use of disc space by avoiding the unnecessary creation of record blocks.
- There is no risk of link breaking as a result of the removal of the actual file(as long as one hard hyperlink survives, the data will persist).
- The speed of Hard Links is fast.
Limitation of Hard Link
- Cannot span several file systems.
- Directories cannot be hyperlinked.
Difference between Hard Link and Soft Link
The file system in Unix-like operating systems, such as Linux and macOS, provides a variety of methods for creating hyperlinks between files and directory paths. These linkages work as suggestions or references to the source file, ensuring the organization of data and enterprise management within the device. In this article, we will discuss the differences between Hard links and Soft Links.