What is the difference between hard and soft links?

The main differences between hard links and symbolic (soft) links in Linux are as follows:

Inode Sharing: Hard links point directly to the same inode as the original file, meaning they share the same data on disk.
Same File System: Hard links can only be created within the same file system.
No Distinction: There is no "original" file; all hard links are equal. Deleting one does not affect the others as long as at least one link remains.
Link Count: The link count increases with each hard link created and decreases when links are deleted.

Pointer to Path: Symbolic links point to the file name (path) rather than the inode. They act as shortcuts.
Cross File Systems: They can link to files or directories across different file systems.
Distinct Nature: If the original file is deleted, the symlink becomes broken (dangling) and no longer points to valid data.
Easier to Identify: Symlinks can be identified easily with a different file type and can be created with the ln -s command.

Hard links share the same inode and data, while symbolic links point to the file name and can link across file systems.