---
name: symlink
status: documented
runtime: pp
source: src/runtime/pp/filemod.rs
---
```{index} single: symlink; Perl built-in (pp runtime)
```

# symlink

## Synopsis

```perl
symlink $target, $linkname or die "Cannot symlink: $!";
symlink '/usr/bin/perl', '/usr/local/bin/perl';
```

## Description

Creates a symbolic (soft) link.

Creates a symbolic link LINKNAME that points to TARGET. Unlike hard
links, symbolic links can span filesystems and can point to
directories. Uses `std::os::unix::fs::symlink`. Returns 1 on
success, 0 on failure (and sets `$!`).

## See also

link, readlink, unlink