---
title: "path_symlink()"
description: "The path_symlink() function creates a symbolic link (symlink) with the specified source path pointing to the target path. It requires the PATH_SYMLINK right on the base directory."
url: "https://wasix.org/docs/api-reference/wasi/path_symlink/"
markdown: "https://wasix.org/docs/api-reference/wasi/path_symlink.md"
---

# `path_symlink()`

Create a symlink.

## Description

The `path_symlink()` function creates a symbolic link (symlink) with the specified source path pointing to the target path. It requires the `PATH_SYMLINK` right on the base directory.

On POSIX systems, a similar functionality is provided by the `symlink()` function. It creates a symbolic link with the specified source and target paths. The `symlink()` function is part of the POSIX standard and is widely supported across different platforms.

## Syntax

```ebnf
  ;;; Note: This is similar to `symlinkat` in POSIX.
  ;;; Create a symbolic link.
  (@interface func (export "path_symlink")
    ;;; The contents of the symbolic link.
    (param $old_path string)
    (param $fd $fd)
    ;;; The destination path at which to create the symbolic link.
    (param $new_path string)
    (result $error (expected (error $errno)))
  )
```

## Parameters

- `ctx`: A mutable reference to the function environment.
- `old_path`: A wasm pointer to a null-terminated string containing the source path of the symlink.
- `old_path_len`: The length of the `old_path` string.
- `fd`: The file descriptor representing the base directory from which the paths are understood.
- `new_path`: A wasm pointer to a null-terminated string containing the target path where the symlink will be created.
- `new_path_len`: The length of the `new_path` string.

## Return Value

The function returns an `Errno` value indicating the success or failure of the operation. If the operation is successful, it returns `Errno::Success`. Otherwise, it returns an appropriate `Errno` value.

## Logging

This function has been instrumented with debug-level logging. It will log the following information:

- `%fd`: The file descriptor representing the base directory.
- `old_path`: The source path string.
- `new_path`: The target path string.

## Note

The `path_symlink()` function creates a symbolic link (symlink) with the specified source path pointing to the target path. It checks the necessary rights on the base directory. On POSIX systems, a similar functionality is provided by the `symlink()` function.

---

[Documentation index](https://wasix.org/llms.txt) · [HTML version](https://wasix.org/docs/api-reference/wasi/path_symlink/)