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3.271 Pathname
A string that is used to identify a file. In the context of POSIX.1-2017, a pathname may be limited to {PATH_MAX} bytes, including the terminating null byte. It has optional beginning <slash> characters, followed by zero or more filenames separated by <slash> characters. A pathname can optionally contain one or more trailing <slash> characters. Multiple successive <slash> characters are considered to be the same as one <slash>, except for the case of exactly two leading <slash> characters.
3.170 Filename
A sequence of bytes consisting of 1 to {NAME_MAX} bytes used to name a file. The bytes composing the name shall not contain the <NUL> or <slash> characters. In the context of a pathname, each filename shall be followed by a <slash> or a <NUL> character; elsewhere, a filename followed by a <NUL> character forms a string (but not necessarily a character string). The filenames dot and dot-dot have special meaning. A filename is sometimes referred to as a "pathname component". See also Pathname.
They may resolve to the same canonicalized absolute pathname, depending on $PWD. Or, in case of symlinks, depending on where the symlink is.
Code:
$ realpath /usr/lib/../bin/bash
/bin/bash
It's often a good idea to not use absolute pathnames in symlinks. For example, if you create a tar archive and extract it to somewhere else, absolute links will stop working correctly. Or, if you mount a file system to a different place in the tree, like mount a linux os root under /mnt of another linux os.
Last edited by Petri Kaukasoina; 05-01-2024 at 05:36 AM.
There is no 'path' in a symlink...it's a pointer to the inode of the resource you linked to.
I believe that you are referring to a "hard link," TB0ne, not a "symbolic one.
A hard-link is a second directory-entry which refers to the same internal file ("inode"). Whereas a symbolic-link is, indeed, a tiny file containing a filename reference, which Linux resolves by trying to find and open the target file. (You don't know if it will [still ...] work until and unless you try it.)
I believe that you are referring to a "hard link," TB0ne, not a "symbolic one.
A hard-link is a second directory-entry which refers to the same internal file ("inode"). Whereas a symbolic-link is, indeed, a tiny file containing a filename reference, which Linux resolves by trying to find and open the target file. (You don't know if it will [still ...] work until and unless you try it.)
Indeed so, and michaelk's link provided a much better explanation. It referenced inodes in the context I was thinking of, but you are correct.
I believe that you are referring to a "hard link," TB0ne, not a "symbolic one.
That's why, if you delete the actual file, the symlink file will be left dangling and invalid. This is usually signaled in displays with a different colour or a highlight. Whereas if you delete a file with a hard link to it, the linked name still works and nothing has really changed.
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