---
name: "shtool-mkln"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "shtool"
version: "2.0.8-10"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/shtool-mkln"
---

# shtool-mkln(1)

GNU shtool enhanced ln(1) replacement

## NAME

shtool-mkln - GNU shtool enhanced [ln(1)](/ln/1.md) replacement

## SYNOPSIS

**shtool mkln** \[**-t**\|**--trace**\] \[**-f**\|**--force**\] \[**-s**\|**--symbolic**\] *src-path* \[*src-path* ...\] *dst-path*

## DESCRIPTION

This is a [**ln**(1)](/ln/1.md) style command. It is enhanced to provide automatic calculation and usage of relative links with the shortest possible path, if possible. Usually if *src-path* and *dst-path* are not absolute paths or at least they share a common prefix except the root directory (\`\``"/"`''). When more than one *src-path* is specified, all of them are linked into *dst-path*.

## OPTIONS

The following command line options are available.

- **-t**, **--trace**

  Enable the output of the essential shell commands which are executed.

- **-f**, **--force**

  Force the creation of the link even if it exists. Default is to fail with error.

- **-s**, **--symbolic**

  Create a symbolic link instead of a hard-link.

## EXAMPLE

```
 #   shell script
 shtool mkln -s foo/bar baz/quux
```

## HISTORY

The **GNU shtool** **fixperm** command was originally written by Ralf S. Engelschall \<rse@engelschall.com\> in 1998 for *ePerl*.

## SEE ALSO

[**shtool**(1)](/shtool/1.md), [**ln**(1)](/ln/1.md).