A mental model for Linux file, hard and soft links

A mental model for understanding Linux files and links, exploring inodes, hard and soft links. The relationship between files, their data blocks, and inodes are explained, along with how pathnames serve as labels and the distinction between hard and soft links in filesystem handling.

• Files in Linux are represented by an inode and a data block.
• Pathnames are labels for (inode, data block) pairs.
• Hard links connect a pathname to an inode.
• Soft links are files that point to target files.
• Deleting a target file results in a dangling soft link.