a special file that "points to" a hard link on any mounted filesystem
a special object that imitates another file, the target file, that it points to
a special structure that lets you jump across the tree from one file or directory to another
Symbolic link. An entry in a directory that is not a file, but contains the name of another file that should normally be accessed instead. Contrasts a hard link.
Symbolic Link. A file name that points to another file on disk. Place symlinks in the global "bin" directory that point to your application's main files and you don't have to muck with the system searh path. Win32 analog: none. (that works)