Think of the difference this way:
| Feature | Symlink | Shortcut (.lnk) | Hard Link | |---------|---------|----------------|------------| | Works in Command Prompt | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (needs shell) | ✅ Yes | | Works across different drives | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (same drive only) | | Works with network paths | ✅ Yes (with care) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | | Takes up space | Almost none | Small file | None (same data) | | Target deleted | Link breaks | Shortcut fails | Data remains (other links still work) | symlink on windows
Unlike a standard .lnk shortcut (which is just a file that the shell interprets), a symlink is transparent to applications and the operating system. When a program accesses a symlink, it is automatically redirected to the target, as if it were accessing the original file/folder. Think of the difference this way: | Feature
This removes the link only, leaving your actual data safe and sound on the target drive. symlink on windows