1SYMLINK(2)                 Linux Programmer's Manual                SYMLINK(2)
2
3
4

NAME

6       symlink, symlinkat - make a new name for a file
7

SYNOPSIS

9       #include <unistd.h>
10
11       int symlink(const char *target, const char *linkpath);
12
13       #include <fcntl.h>           /* Definition of AT_* constants */
14       #include <unistd.h>
15
16       int symlinkat(const char *target, int newdirfd, const char *linkpath);
17
18   Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see feature_test_macros(7)):
19
20       symlink():
21           _XOPEN_SOURCE >= 500 || _POSIX_C_SOURCE >= 200112L
22               || /* Glibc <= 2.19: */ _BSD_SOURCE
23
24       symlinkat():
25           Since glibc 2.10:
26               _POSIX_C_SOURCE >= 200809L
27           Before glibc 2.10:
28               _ATFILE_SOURCE
29

DESCRIPTION

31       symlink()  creates  a  symbolic  link named linkpath which contains the
32       string target.
33
34       Symbolic links are interpreted at run time as if the  contents  of  the
35       link  had  been substituted into the path being followed to find a file
36       or directory.
37
38       Symbolic links may contain ..  path components, which (if used  at  the
39       start of the link) refer to the parent directories of that in which the
40       link resides.
41
42       A symbolic link (also known as a soft link) may point  to  an  existing
43       file  or  to  a nonexistent one; the latter case is known as a dangling
44       link.
45
46       The permissions of a symbolic link are irrelevant; the ownership is ig‐
47       nored  when following the link, but is checked when removal or renaming
48       of the link is requested and the link is in a directory with the sticky
49       bit (S_ISVTX) set.
50
51       If linkpath exists, it will not be overwritten.
52
53   symlinkat()
54       The  symlinkat()  system  call operates in exactly the same way as sym‐
55       link(), except for the differences described here.
56
57       If the pathname given in linkpath is relative, then it  is  interpreted
58       relative  to  the directory referred to by the file descriptor newdirfd
59       (rather than relative to the current working directory of  the  calling
60       process, as is done by symlink() for a relative pathname).
61
62       If  linkpath  is  relative  and newdirfd is the special value AT_FDCWD,
63       then linkpath is interpreted relative to the current working  directory
64       of the calling process (like symlink()).
65
66       If linkpath is absolute, then newdirfd is ignored.
67
68       See openat(2) for an explanation of the need for symlinkat().
69

RETURN VALUE

71       On  success,  zero is returned.  On error, -1 is returned, and errno is
72       set to indicate the error.
73

ERRORS

75       EACCES Write access to the directory containing linkpath is denied,  or
76              one  of  the  directories in the path prefix of linkpath did not
77              allow search permission.  (See also