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PHP | is_link( ) Function

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025
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The is_link() function in PHP used to check whether the specified file is a symbolic link or not. The path to the file is sent as a parameter to the is_link() function and it returns TRUE if the filename exists and is a symbolic link, otherwise it returns FALSE. Syntax: 
is_link(file)
Parameters Used: The is_link() function in PHP accepts only one parameter.
  • file : It is a mandatory parameter which specifies the path of the file.
Return Values: It returns TRUE if the filename exists and is a symbolic link, otherwise it returns FALSE. Exceptions:
  1. An E_WARNING is emitted on failure.
  2. The result of this function are cached and therefore the clearstatcache() function is used to clear the cache.
Examples: 
Input : $mylink = "gfg";
        if(is_link($mylink))
        {
         echo ("$mylink is a symbolic link!");
        }
        else
        {
         echo ("$mylink is not a symbolic link!");
        }

Output : gfg is a symbolic link!

Input : $mylink = "gfg";
        if (is_link($mylink)) 
        {
         echo ("$mylink is a symbolic link!");
         echo "Reading the link :\n";
         echo(readlink($mylink));
        }
        else 
        {
         symlink("gfg", $mylink);
        }
Output : gfg is a symbolic link!
         Reading the link :
         A portal for geeks!
Below programs illustrate the is_link() function. Program 1 php 
<?php

$myfile = "gfg";

// checking whether the file is a symbolic link or not
if (is_link($mylink)) {
    echo ("$mylink is a symbolic link!");
} else {
    echo ("$mylink is not a symbolic link!");
}

?>
Output: 
gfg is a symbolic link!
Program 2 php 
<?php

$myfile = "gfg";

// checking whether the file
// is a symbolic link or not
if (is_link($mylink)) {
    echo ("$mylink is a symbolic link!");

    // Reading the link
    echo "Reading the link :\n";
    echo (readlink($mylink));
}

// creating a symbolic link of the
// file if it doesn't exist
else {
    symlink("gfg", $mylink);
}

?>
Output: 
gfg is a symbolic link!
Reading the link :
A portal for geeks!
Reference: https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.is-link.php

S

Shubrodeep Banerjee
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