Hard Link acts like a mirror copy of the original file |
Soft Link is actual link to the original file |
These links share the same inodes |
These Links will have a different Inodes value |
Any changes made to the original or Hard linked file will reflect the other |
Any changes made to the soft link will reflect the original file and its hard links. |
Even if you delete any one of the files, nothing will happen to the other hard links. |
Any changes made to the soft link will reflect the original file and its hard links. |
Hard links can't cross file systems. |
Soft links can cross file systems |
You can't link a directory even within the same file system. |
You can link a directory using soft link on same file system and also on other file system |
Permission changes of original file reflects only on hard links |
Permission changes of original file do not reflect. It remains unchanged |
Removing the original file will not affect the hard link. Hard link in unaffected |
Removing the original file will affect the soft link. The soft link fails and it becomes dangling symbolic link (or broken link) |
Changing the contents of the hard link will reflects on main file and also reflects on soft link of main file. |
Changing the contents of soft link will reflects on main file and also on all links of main file. |
it's not possible to create hard link on directory |
it is possible to create soft link on directory |