# std::filesystem::create_symlink, std::filesystem::create_directory_symlink

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< cpp‎ | filesystem

Defined in header `<filesystem>` |  |
void create_symlink( const std::filesystem::path & target, const std::filesystem::path & link ); void create_symlink( const std::filesystem::path & target, const std::filesystem::path & link, std::error_code & ec ) noexcept; | (1) | (since C++17)
void create_directory_symlink( const std::filesystem::path & target, const std::filesystem::path & link ); void create_directory_symlink( const std::filesystem::path & target, const std::filesystem::path & link, std::error_code & ec ) noexcept; | (2) | (since C++17)

Creates a symbolic link `link` with its target set to `target` as if by POSIX symlink(): the pathname `target` may be invalid or non-existing.

Some operating systems require symlink creation to identify that the link is to a directory. Portable code should use (2) to create directory symlinks rather than (1), even though there is no distinction on POSIX systems.

### Parameters

target | - | path to point the symlink to, does not have to exist
link | - | path of the new symbolic link
ec | - | out-parameter for error reporting in the non-throwing overload

### Return value

(none)

### Exceptions

The overload that does not take a std::error_code & parameter throws `filesystem_error` on underlying OS API errors, constructed with `target` as the first path argument, `link` as the second path argument, and the OS error code as the error code argument. The overload taking a std::error_code & parameter sets it to the OS API error code if an OS API call fails, and executes ec.clear() if no errors occur. Any overload not marked `noexcept` may throw std::bad_alloc if memory allocation fails.

### Notes

Some operating systems do not support symbolic links at all or support them only for regular files.

Some file systems do not support symbolic links regardless of the operating system, for example the FAT system used on some memory cards and flash drives.

Like a hard link, a symbolic link allows a file to have multiple logical names. The presence of a hard link guarantees the existence of a file, even after the original name has been removed. A symbolic link provides no such assurance; in fact, the file named by the `target` argument need not exist when the link is created. A symbolic link can cross file system boundaries.

### Example

Run this code

    #include <iostream>
    #include <filesystem>
    namespace fs = std::filesystem;

    int main()
    {
        fs::create_directories("sandbox/subdir");
        fs::create_symlink("target", "sandbox/sym1");
        fs::create_directory_symlink("subdir", "sandbox/sym2");

        for(auto it = fs::directory_iterator("sandbox"); it != fs::directory_iterator(); ++it)
            if(is_symlink(it->symlink_status()))
                std::cout << *it << "->" << read_symlink(*it) << '\n';

        fs::remove_all("sandbox");
    }

Possible output:

    "sandbox/sym1"->"target"
    "sandbox/sym2"->"subdir"

### See also

statussymlink_status (C++17)(C++17) | determines file attributes determines file attributes, checking the symlink target (function)
read_symlink (C++17) | obtains the target of a symbolic link (function)
create_hard_link (C++17) | creates a hard link (function)

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