Written: 2026-02-04 Updated: 2026-06-27

TL;DR: ln -T

I was refactoring more my Nix config, and specifically replacing my link farm with nix as described in my previous post.

When I noticed that links were being created in the wrong places. I would run ln more than once and would get links in random locations:

$ ln -vfs "$DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/" "$HOME/.config/nvim"
'/home/nobe4/.config/nvim' -> '/home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim'

$ ls -la "$HOME/.config/nvim"
lrwxrwxrwx 1 nobe4 users 35 Feb  4 20:12 /home/nobe4/.config/nvim -> /home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim
# all good!

# do some testing ...

$ ln -vfs "$DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/" "$HOME/.config/nvim"
'/home/nobe4/.config/nvim/nvim' -> '/home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim'
# uh, what now?

$ ls -la $DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/nvim
lrwxrwxrwx 1 nobe4 users 35 Feb  4 20:12 /home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim/nvim -> /home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim
# what the hell

In a simplified form:

$ mkdir a
$ ln -vfs a b
'b' -> 'a'
$ ln -vfs a b
'b/a' -> 'a'
$ tree
.
├── a
│   └── a -> a
└── b -> a

That prompted me to do an overly zealous study of what ln do in various scenario. The conclusion of this post is everyone’s favorite: RTFM.

The test scenario ¶

All the commands are ran with:

link () {
    ln --verbose --force --symbolic "$(pwd)/${1:?}" "$(pwd)/${2:?}"
}

$1 is the target, what the link points to.
$2 is link name, but not always, it is sometimes the directory.

Legend

�: Missing File, Directory, or Link.
F: File
D: Directory
FL: Link to a File
DL: Link to a Directory
�FL: Broken link to a File
�DL: Broken link to a Directory
/: Ends with a /

`$1` \ `$2`	�	F	D
�	`0` ❌	`14` ❌	`28` ❌
�`/`	`1` ❌	`15` ❌	`29` ❌
F	`2` ✅	`16` ✅	`30` ⚠️
F`/`	`3` ❌	`17` ❌	`31` ❌
D	`4` ✅	`18` ✅	`32` ⚠️
D`/`	`5` ✅	`19` ✅	`33` ⚠️
�FL	`6` ❌	`20` ❌	`34` ❌
�FL`/`	`7` ❌	`21` ❌	`35` ❌
FL	`8` ✅	`22` ✅	`36` ⚠️
FL`/`	`9` ❌	`23` ❌	`37` ❌
�DL	`10` ❌	`24` ❌	`38` ❌
�DL`/`	`11` ❌	`25` ❌	`39` ❌
DL	`12` ✅	`26` ✅	`40` ⚠️
DL`/`	`13` ✅	`27` ✅	`41` ⚠️

Notes:

The indexes correspond to the test results listed below.
Results:
- ✅: the link is valid
- ❌: the link is broken
- ⚠️: the link exists but might not be what you want
⚠️: All the links are created inside the directory, rather than being the directory.
E.g. for the same command link a b:
```
# instead of
### [16] ###
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

# we get
### [30] ###
.
├── a
└── b
    └── a -> /tmp/ln/a
```
This is what man ln calls the 3rd and 4th forms:
In the 3rd and 4th forms, create links to each TARGET in DIRECTORY.
If you look back before the table, that’s what the “sometimes” means for $2.

Full test results

run.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash
link () {
    ln --verbose --force --symbolic "$(pwd)/${1:?}" "$(pwd)/${2:?}"
}

clean() { find . -not -name run.sh -delete ; }

run() {
    echo -e "\n### [${id}] ###: $1"
    eval "$1"
    tree -I 'run.sh' | head -n -2
    find . -xtype l -exec echo "Broken link: {}" \;
    id=$((id + 1))
    clean
}

id=0
cases=(
    # column 1
    "link a b"
    "link a/ b"
    "touch a && link a b"
    "touch a && link a/ b"
    "mkdir a && link a b"
    "mkdir a && link a/ b"
    "link a b && link b c"
    "link a b && link b/ c"
    "touch a && link a b && link b c"
    "touch a && link a b && link b/ c"
    "link a/ b && link b c"
    "link a/ b && link b/ c"
    "mkdir a && link a b && link b c"
    "mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c"
    # column 2
    "touch b && link a b"
    "touch b && link a/ b"
    "touch b && touch a && link a b"
    "touch b && touch a && link a/ b"
    "touch b && mkdir a && link a b"
    "touch b && mkdir a && link a/ b"
    "touch c && link a b && link b c"
    "touch c && link a b && link b/ c"
    "touch c && touch a && link a b && link b c"
    "touch c && touch a && link a b && link b/ c"
    "touch c && link a/ b && link b c"
    "touch c && link a/ b && link b/ c"
    "touch c && mkdir a && link a b && link b c"
    "touch c && mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c"
    # column 2
    "mkdir b && link a b"
    "mkdir b && link a/ b"
    "mkdir b && touch a && link a b"
    "mkdir b && touch a && link a/ b"
    "mkdir b && mkdir a && link a b"
    "mkdir b && mkdir a && link a/ b"
    "mkdir c && link a b && link b c"
    "mkdir c && link a b && link b/ c"
    "mkdir c && touch a && link a b && link b c"
    "mkdir c && touch a && link a b && link b/ c"
    "mkdir c && link a/ b && link b c"
    "mkdir c && link a/ b && link b/ c"
    "mkdir c && mkdir a && link a b && link b c"
    "mkdir c && mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c"
)

for t in "${cases[@]}"; do
    run "$t"
done

Output

### [0] ###: link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a
Broken link: ./b

### [1] ###: link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b

### [2] ###: touch a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

### [3] ###: touch a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b

### [4] ###: mkdir a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

### [5] ###: mkdir a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/

### [6] ###: link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [7] ###: link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [8] ###: touch a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b

### [9] ###: touch a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c

### [10] ###: link a/ b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [11] ###: link a/ b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [12] ###: mkdir a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b

### [13] ###: mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/

### [14] ###: touch b && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a
Broken link: ./b

### [15] ###: touch b && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b

### [16] ###: touch b && touch a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

### [17] ###: touch b && touch a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b

### [18] ###: touch b && mkdir a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

### [19] ###: touch b && mkdir a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/

### [20] ###: touch c && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [21] ###: touch c && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [22] ###: touch c && touch a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b

### [23] ###: touch c && touch a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c

### [24] ###: touch c && link a/ b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [25] ###: touch c && link a/ b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [26] ###: touch c && mkdir a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b

### [27] ###: touch c && mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/

### [28] ###: mkdir b && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b/a' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
└── b
    └── a -> /tmp/ln/a
Broken link: ./b/a

### [29] ###: mkdir b && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b/a' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
└── b
    └── a -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b/a

### [30] ###: mkdir b && touch a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b/a' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b
    └── a -> /tmp/ln/a

### [31] ###: mkdir b && touch a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b/a' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b
    └── a -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b/a

### [32] ###: mkdir b && mkdir a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b/a' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b
    └── a -> /tmp/ln/a

### [33] ###: mkdir b && mkdir a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b/a' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b
    └── a -> /tmp/ln/a/

### [34] ###: mkdir c && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c/b' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c
    └── b -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c/b
Broken link: ./b

### [35] ###: mkdir c && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c/b' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c
    └── b -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c/b
Broken link: ./b

### [36] ###: mkdir c && touch a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c/b' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c
    └── b -> /tmp/ln/b

### [37] ###: mkdir c && touch a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c/b' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c
    └── b -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c/b

### [38] ###: mkdir c && link a/ b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c/b' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c
    └── b -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c/b
Broken link: ./b

### [39] ###: mkdir c && link a/ b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c/b' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c
    └── b -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c/b
Broken link: ./b

### [40] ###: mkdir c && mkdir a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c/b' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c
    └── b -> /tmp/ln/b

### [41] ###: mkdir c && mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c/b' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c
    └── b -> /tmp/ln/b/

The problem ¶

Going back to my initial scenario:

$ ln -vfs "$DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/" "$HOME/.config/nvim"

We now understand the weird behavior:

First run, the $HOME/.config/nvim link is created, it points to the directory $DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/.
```
$HOME/.config/nvim -> $DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim
```
Second run, ln sees a directory, and assumes that you want to link into the directory, rather than link the directory.
```
$DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/nvim -> $HOME/.config/nvim -> $DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim
```
The result is a new link inside the linked directory:
```
$DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/nvim -> $DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim
```

The solution ¶

Per usual, RTFM:

   -T, --no-target-directory
          treat LINK_NAME as a normal file always

This means that no matter what LINK_NAME is, it always takes as the name of the link, never the directory in which to put the link.

Using this new flag:

$ ln -vfsT "$DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/" "$HOME/.config/nvim"
'/home/nobe4/.config/nvim' -> '/home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim'

$ ls -la "$HOME/.config/nvim"
lrwxrwxrwx 1 nobe4 users 35 Feb  4 20:12 /home/nobe4/.config/nvim -> /home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim
# all good!

# do some testing ...

$ ln -vfsT "$DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/" "$HOME/.config/nvim"
'/home/nobe4/.config/nvim' -> '/home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim'
# looking good!

$ ls -la $DOTFILE_FOLDER/nvim/nvim
ls: cannot access '/home/nobe4/dev/nobe4/dotfiles/nvim/nvim': No such file or directory
# yeee

In a simplified form:

$ mkdir a
$ ln -vfsT a b
'b' -> 'a'
$ ln -vfsT a b
'b' -> 'a'
$ tree
.
├── a
└── b -> a

The new test scenario ¶

All the commands are ran with:

link () {
    ln --verbose --force --symbolic --no-target-directory "$(pwd)/${1:?}" "$(pwd)/${2:?}"
}

`$1` \ `$2`	�	F	D
�	`0` ❌	`14` ❌	`28` 💥
�`/`	`1` ❌	`15` ❌	`29` 💥
F	`2` ✅	`16` ✅	`30` 💥
F`/`	`3` ❌	`17` ❌	`31` 💥
D	`4` ✅	`18` ✅	`32` 💥
D`/`	`5` ✅	`19` ✅	`33` 💥
�FL	`6` ❌	`20` ❌	`34` 💥
�FL`/`	`7` ❌	`21` ❌	`35` 💥
FL	`8` ✅	`22` ✅	`36` 💥
FL`/`	`9` ❌	`23` ❌	`37` 💥
�DL	`10` ❌	`24` ❌	`38` 💥
�DL`/`	`11` ❌	`25` ❌	`39` 💥
DL	`12` ✅	`26` ✅	`40` 💥
DL`/`	`13` ✅	`27` ✅	`41` 💥

Notes:

Results:
- Same as before
- 💥: The command fail with Cannot overwrite directory.
  This happens for the entire column, because the directory already exists and ln does not override it if it’s supposed to be a normal file.
  To get a valid link the full path must be specified, inside the directory.
  E.g.
```
$ mkdir a b
$ link a b
ln: /tmp/ln/b: cannot overwrite directory
$ link a b/a
'/tmp/ln/b/a' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
$ tree
.
├── a
└── b
    └── a -> /tmp/ln/a
```

Full test results

run.sh

  link () {
-    ln --verbose --force --symbolic "$(pwd)/${1:?}" "$(pwd)/${2:?}"
+    ln --verbose --force --symbolic --no-target-directory "$(pwd)/${1:?}" "$(pwd)/${2:?}"
  }

Output

### [0] ###: link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a
Broken link: ./b

### [1] ###: link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b

### [2] ###: touch a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

### [3] ###: touch a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b

### [4] ###: mkdir a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

### [5] ###: mkdir a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/

### [6] ###: link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [7] ###: link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [8] ###: touch a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b

### [9] ###: touch a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c

### [10] ###: link a/ b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [11] ###: link a/ b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [12] ###: mkdir a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b

### [13] ###: mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/

### [14] ###: touch b && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a
Broken link: ./b

### [15] ###: touch b && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b

### [16] ###: touch b && touch a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

### [17] ###: touch b && touch a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
Broken link: ./b

### [18] ###: touch b && mkdir a && link a b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a

### [19] ###: touch b && mkdir a && link a/ b
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
.
├── a
└── b -> /tmp/ln/a/

### [20] ###: touch c && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [21] ###: touch c && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [22] ###: touch c && touch a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b

### [23] ###: touch c && touch a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c

### [24] ###: touch c && link a/ b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [25] ###: touch c && link a/ b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/
Broken link: ./c
Broken link: ./b

### [26] ###: touch c && mkdir a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b

### [27] ###: touch c && mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
'/tmp/ln/c' -> '/tmp/ln/b/'
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c -> /tmp/ln/b/

### [28] ###: mkdir b && link a b
ln: /tmp/ln/b: cannot overwrite directory
.
└── b

### [29] ###: mkdir b && link a/ b
ln: /tmp/ln/b: cannot overwrite directory
.
└── b

### [30] ###: mkdir b && touch a && link a b
ln: /tmp/ln/b: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── a
└── b

### [31] ###: mkdir b && touch a && link a/ b
ln: /tmp/ln/b: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── a
└── b

### [32] ###: mkdir b && mkdir a && link a b
ln: /tmp/ln/b: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── a
└── b

### [33] ###: mkdir b && mkdir a && link a/ b
ln: /tmp/ln/b: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── a
└── b

### [34] ###: mkdir c && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
ln: /tmp/ln/c: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c
Broken link: ./b

### [35] ###: mkdir c && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
ln: /tmp/ln/c: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c
Broken link: ./b

### [36] ###: mkdir c && touch a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
ln: /tmp/ln/c: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c

### [37] ###: mkdir c && touch a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
ln: /tmp/ln/c: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c

### [38] ###: mkdir c && link a/ b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
ln: /tmp/ln/c: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c
Broken link: ./b

### [39] ###: mkdir c && link a/ b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a/'
ln: /tmp/ln/c: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a/
└── c
Broken link: ./b

### [40] ###: mkdir c && mkdir a && link a b && link b c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
ln: /tmp/ln/c: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c

### [41] ###: mkdir c && mkdir a && link a b && link b/ c
'/tmp/ln/b' -> '/tmp/ln/a'
ln: /tmp/ln/c: cannot overwrite directory
.
├── a
├── b -> /tmp/ln/a
└── c

Conclusion ¶

-T’s behavior reminds me a lot of the JavaScript’s ===: it’s the most logical to me, and yet not the default behavior.

But also, RTFM.