About actual and symbolic links

In the File Manager section of the Site Administrator control panel, directories and files are shown as either actual or symbolic links:

- Actual links are links to files or directories that are located in the directory shown. Actual links are represented by color icons: and .

- Symbolic links are shortcuts that are usually placed in top-level directories to provide quick access to directories and files that lie deeper in the directory structure. Symbolic links are represented by the grayed-out icon: .

In the File Manager section, you can work with existing symbolic links the same way you work with actual links; you can open, rename, or move them.

However, you can add symbolic link directories and files only when you are logged on to your site through Telnet or SSH service.

# Considerations for working with symbolic links

Because symbolic link directories and files are shortcuts to existing actual directories or files, the following considerations apply:

- When you move or delete a directory or file to which a symbolic link directory or file refers, you will break the link. Broken link directories and files are represented with and .

- When you delete a symbolic link directory or file, you only remove the shortcut link. The data in the actual file to which the symbolic link directory or file refers remain intact. To remove the data, you must delete the actual directory or file.