---
name: "symlinkat"
section: "2"
platform: "macos"
package: "xnu"
version: "12377.121.6"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/symlink"
---

# symlinkat(2)

make symbolic link to a file

Part of [symlink(2)](/symlink/2.md).

## NAME

**symlink**, **symlinkat** – make symbolic link to a file

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<unistd.h\>**

*int*\

**symlink**(*const char \*path1*, *const char \*path2*);

*int*\

**symlinkat**(*const char \*name1*, *int fd*, *const char \*name2*);

## DESCRIPTION

A symbolic link *path2* is created to *path1* (*path2* is the name of the file created, *path1* is the string used in creating the symbolic link). Either name may be an arbitrary path name; the files need not be on the same file system.

The **symlinkat**() system call is equivalent to **symlink**() except in the case where *name2* specifies a relative path. In this case the symbolic link is created relative to the directory associated with the file descriptor *fd* instead of the current working directory. If **symlinkat**() is passed the special value AT\_FDCWD in the *fd* parameter, the current working directory is used and the behavior is identical to a call to **symlink**().

## RETURN VALUES

Upon successful completion, a zero value is returned. If an error occurs, the error code is stored in *errno* and a -1 value is returned.

## ERRORS

The symbolic link succeeds unless:

- \[EACCES\]

  Write permission is denied in the directory where the symbolic link is being created.

- \[EACCES\]

  A component of the *path2* path prefix denies search permission.

- \[EDQUOT\]

  The directory in which the entry for the new symbolic link is being placed cannot be extended because the user's quota of disk blocks on the file system containing the directory has been exhausted.

- \[EDQUOT\]

  The new symbolic link cannot be created because the user's quota of disk blocks on the file system that will contain the symbolic link has been exhausted.

- \[EDQUOT\]

  The user's quota of inodes on the file system on which the symbolic link is being created has been exhausted.

- \[EEXIST\]

  *Path2* already exists.

- \[EFAULT\]

  *Path1* or *path2* points outside the process's allocated address space.

- \[EIO\]

  An I/O error occurs while making the directory entry or allocating the inode.

- \[EIO\]

  An I/O error occurs while making the directory entry for *path2*, or allocating the inode for *path2*, or writing out the link contents of *path2*.

- \[ELOOP\]

  Too many symbolic links are encountered in translating the pathname. This is taken to be indicative of a looping symbolic link.

- \[ENAMETOOLONG\]

  A component of a pathname exceeds  {NAME\_MAX} characters, or an entire path name exceeds {PATH\_MAX} characters.

- \[ENOENT\]

  A component of *path2* does not name an existing file or *path2* is an empty string.

- \[ENOSPC\]

  The directory in which the entry for the new symbolic link is being placed cannot be extended because there is no space left on the file system containing the directory.

- \[ENOSPC\]

  The new symbolic link cannot be created because there there is no space left on the file system that will contain the symbolic link.

- \[ENOSPC\]

  There are no free inodes on the file system on which the symbolic link is being created.

- \[ENOTDIR\]

  A component of the *path2* prefix is not a directory.

- \[EROFS\]

  The file *path2* would reside on a read-only file system.

In addition to the errors returned by the **symlink**(), the **symlinkat**() may fail if:

- \[EBADF\]

  The *name2* argument does not specify an absolute path and the *fd* argument is neither AT\_FDCWD nor a valid file descriptor open for searching.

- \[ENOTDIR\]

  The *name2* argument is not an absolute path and *fd* is neither AT\_FDCWD nor a file descriptor associated with a directory.

- \[EILSEQ\]

  The filename does not match the encoding rules.

## SEE ALSO

[ln(1)](/ln/1.md), [link(2)](/link/2.md), [unlink(2)](/unlink/2.md), [symlink(7)](/symlink/7.md)

## STANDARDS

The **symlinkat**() system call is expected to conform to POSIX.1-2008 .

## HISTORY

The **symlink**() function call appeared in 4.2BSD. The **symlinkat**() system call appeared in OS X 10.10