How to check the target of an existing symbolic link in Linux?

Checking the Target of a Symbolic Link in Linux

In the Linux operating system, a symbolic link (also known as a "symlink") is a special type of file that serves as a reference to another file or directory. Symbolic links are often used to create shortcuts or aliases to files or directories, making it easier to access them from different locations in the file system.

To check the target of an existing symbolic link in Linux, you can use the following command:

ls -l <link_name>

This command will display information about the symbolic link, including the target file or directory it points to.

Here's an example:

$ ln -s /usr/bin/python3 python_link
$ ls -l python_link
lrwxrwxrwx 1 user user 14 Apr 15 10:30 python_link -> /usr/bin/python3

In this example, the ls -l command shows that the symbolic link python_link points to the file /usr/bin/python3.

Alternatively, you can use the readlink command to directly display the target of a symbolic link:

$ readlink python_link
/usr/bin/python3

The readlink command simply prints the target of the symbolic link without any additional information.

Here's a Mermaid diagram that illustrates the concept of a symbolic link and how to check its target:

In this diagram, the symbolic link python_link points to the file /usr/bin/python3. The ls -l command displays the symbolic link information, including the target file, while the readlink command directly shows the target file.

By understanding how to check the target of a symbolic link, you can better navigate and manage the file system in your Linux environment, making it easier to work with shortcuts and references to files and directories.