Readlink()

Introduction

In PHP, the readlink() function is used to read the target of a symbolic link. It is a useful function for working with symbolic links in your PHP scripts. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about the readlink() function, including its syntax, parameters, and examples of how it can be used.

Understanding the readlink() Function

The readlink() function in PHP is used to read the target of a symbolic link. It takes a single parameter, which is the name of the symbolic link.

When you use readlink(), PHP reads the target of the symbolic link and returns it as a string. This can be useful for working with symbolic links in your PHP scripts.

Syntax of the readlink() Function

The syntax of the readlink() function is as follows:

readlink($link);

Here, $link is the name of the symbolic link.

Examples of Using readlink()

Let's take a look at some examples of how the readlink() function can be used in PHP.

Example 1: Reading the Target of a Symbolic Link

<?php

$link_target = readlink('example_link');
echo $link_target;

This example reads the target of the example_link symbolic link and outputs it to the browser.

Example 2: Checking if a File is a Symbolic Link

<?php

if (is_link('example_file')) {
    $link_target = readlink('example_file');
    echo 'The target of the symbolic link is ' . $link_target;
} else {
    echo 'The file is not a symbolic link.';
}

In this example, the is_link() function is used to check if the example_file file is a symbolic link. If it is, the target of the symbolic link is read using readlink() and output to the browser. If it is not a symbolic link, a message is displayed indicating that the file is not a symbolic link.

Conclusion

The readlink() function in PHP is a useful function for working with symbolic links in your PHP scripts. We hope that this article has given you a better understanding of how readlink() works and how it can be used in your own projects.