ln - make links between files

SYNOPSIS

       ln [options] source [dest]
       ln [options] source... directory
       Options:
       [-bdfinsvF]      [-S      backup-suffix]     [-V     {num-
       bered,existing,simple}]                        [--version-
       control={numbered,existing,simple}]  [--backup]  [--direc-
       tory] [--force] [--interactive] [--no-dereference] [--sym-
       bolic]   [--verbose]   [--suffix=backup-suffix]   [--help]
       [--version]

DESCRIPTION

       This manual page documents the GNU version of ln.  If  the
       last  argument  names an existing directory, ln links each
       other given file into a file with the same  name  in  that
       directory.   If only one file is given, it links that file
       into the current directory.  Otherwise, if only two  files
       are  given,  it links the first onto the second.  It is an
       error if the last argument is not  a  directory  and  more
       than two files are given.  It makes hard links by default.
       By default, it does not remove existing files.

   OPTIONS
       -b, --backup
              Make backups of files that are about to be removed.

       -d, -F, --directory
              Allow the super-user to make hard links to directo-
              ries.

       -f, --force
              Remove existing destination files.

       -i, --interactive
              Prompt  whether  to  remove  existing   destination
              files.

       -n, --no-dereference
              When  the  specified destination is a symbolic link
              to a directory, attempt  to  replace  the  symbolic
              link  rather than dereferencing it to create a link
              in the directory to which it points.   This  option
              is most useful in conjunction with --force.

       -s, --symbolic
              Make  symbolic  links  instead of hard links.  This
              option produces an error message on systems that do
              not support symbolic links.

       -v, --verbose
              successfully.

       --version
              Print version information on standard  output  then
              exit successfully.

       -S, --suffix backup-suffix
              The  suffix used for making simple backup files can
              be set with  the  SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX  environment
              variable,  which  can be overridden by this option.
              If neither of those is given, the default  is  `~',
              as it is in Emacs.

       -V, --version-control {numbered,existing,simple}
              The  type  of backups made can be set with the VER-
              SION_CONTROL environment  variable,  which  can  be
              overridden  by  this option.  If VERSION_CONTROL is
              not set and this option is not given,  the  default
              backup  type  is `existing'.  The value of the VER-
              SION_CONTROL environment variable and the  argument
              to  this  option  are  like the GNU Emacs `version-
              control' variable;  they  also  recognize  synonyms
              that  are  more  descriptive.  The valid values are
              (unique abbreviations are accepted):

              `t' or `numbered'
                     Always make numbered backups.

              `nil' or `existing'
                     Make numbered backups of files that  already
                     have them, simple backups of the others.

              `never' or `simple'
                     Always make simple backups.