Which statement about hard links and symbolic links is true?

• A. A symbolic link uses the same inode as the target file.
• B. A hard link shares the same inode as the target file.
• C. A hard link can point to directories.
• D. A symbolic link can only reside on the same filesystem.

Answer: (B)

The concept tested is how hard links and symbolic links relate to inodes and filesystem structure. A hard link is another directory entry that points directly to the same inode as the original file, so both names refer to the exact same underlying data. Because they share the same inode, removing one name does not delete the data until all links are removed.

A symbolic link is a separate small file that contains a path to the target. It has its own inode and does not share the target’s inode; it simply points to the target by name, and can become dangling if the target is moved or deleted.

Given that, the statement about hard links sharing the same inode as the target is correct. A symbolic link uses its own inode, hard links generally cannot be created to directories, and symbolic links are not restricted to the same filesystem—they can point across filesystem boundaries.