How to create symlinks in Node.js? Symbolic link with Node.js

Node.js / February 6, 2023 / TopCode / 1

Introduction

A symbolic link (also symlink or soft link) is a term for any file that contains a reference to another file or directory in the form of an absolute or relative path. Node.js built-in fs module provides APIs to create symlink. fs.symlink() method is used to create a symlink to the given path asynchronously. fs.symlinkSync() method is used to create a symlink to the given path synchronously. Both methods create a link making the path point to the target. The relative target is relative to the link’s parent directory.

Syntax of fs.symlink()

fs.symlink(target, path[, type], callback)

This method accept four parameters as described below:

• target: The path to which the symlink has to be created. It can be a string, buffer or URL.
• path: The path where the symlink will be created. It can be a string, buffer or URL.
• type: only available on Windows and ignored on other platforms. It can be set to ‘dir’, ‘file’, or ‘junction’. If the type argument is not set, Node.js will autodetect target type and use ‘file’ or ‘dir’. If the target does not exist, ‘file’ will be used. Windows junction points require the destination path to be absolute. When using ‘junction’, the target argument will automatically be normalized to absolute path.
• callback: It is a callback function that is called after method execution. It takes one parameter:
  • err: An error object that would be thrown if the operation fails

Following example illustrate the fs.symlink() method in Node.js

// Import the fs module
const fs = require('fs');

// function to create symbolic link.
fs.symlink("targeted_dir",
           "symlink_to_Dir", 'dir', (err) => {
  if (err)
    console.log(err);
  else {
    console.log("Symlink created");
  }
});

Syntax of fs.symlinkSync()

fs.symlinkSync(target, path[, type])

This method accept three parameters as described below:

• target: The path to which the symlink has to be created. It can be a string, buffer or URL.
• path: The path where the symlink will be created. It can be a string, buffer or URL.
• type: only available on Windows and ignored on other platforms. It can be set to ‘dir’, ‘file’, or ‘junction’. If the type argument is not set, Node.js will autodetect target type and use ‘file’ or ‘dir’. If the target does not exist, ‘file’ will be used. Windows junction points require the destination path to be absolute. When using ‘junction’, the target argument will automatically be normalized to absolute path.

Following example illustrate the fs.symlinkSync() method in Node.js

// Import the fs module
const fs = require('fs');

// function to create symbolic link.
fs.symlinkSync("targeted_dir","symlink_to_Dir", 'dir);

Conclusion

It is recommended to use an asynchronous function instead of synchronous. As synchronous function blocks the event loop and should not be used in the production environment.

#Happy Coding #TopCode

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