Which command creates a hard link named linkname to a file named file?

• A. ln -s file linkname
• B. cp file linkname
• C. ln -f file linkname
• D. ln file linkname

Answer: (D)

Hard links are created with the ln command by giving the original file as the source and the new link name as the target. This makes linkname a new directory entry that points to the same inode as file, so both names access the exact same data. That’s why the command without extra options—ln file linkname—is the correct way to create a hard link.

Using -s would make a symbolic link, which is just a pointer to the target rather than another directory entry for the same inode. Copying with cp would duplicate the file’s contents into a new file, not a link. The -f option merely forces removal of the destination if it exists, which isn’t about creating a link.

Remember, hard links are for regular files on the same filesystem, sharing the same inode.