On occasion we may like to have the same contents of a folder or file in two places without duplication. This option is something that can be done natively from Linux, but it is not so easy to do in Windows 10 and requires the installation of some extensions to be able to do it.
With the presence of PowerShell it is possible to carry out new functions and tools from Windows 10, such as the possibility of using the HardLink Shell extension. This utility is what will give us the possibility to create hard links (HardLink) and symbolic links (unions) and volume mount points.
In this way, we can take a file and drop it in different folders without duplicating it, creating a HardLink as well as other available options.
Differences between hard links and symbolic links
As we have commented, HardLink Shell Extension allows creating both hard links and symbolic links, but what exactly are they?
A hard link (HardLink) is basically a link from the original file but which in turn acts as an individual file. In this way, it allows us to create multiple copies of a file in different locations without consuming storage space, since they are not duplicated. It is therefore, that a single physical file can be available in different folders.
Symbolic links (symbolic links) are shortcut files that are responsible for attaching a physical file or folder located in other directories, which allows you to create virtual folders and files. Its main problem is that if any change is made to any of the union files, it would also be reflected in the original.
In both cases it is like having two doors that lead us to the same place with a small difference. In the case of hard links, they are totally independent of each other. Thus we can have the same file twice, but occupying the storage space of only one. In addition, we will have the peace of mind that if one of the two links disappears nothing happens while the other remains.
How to use the HardLink Shell Extension in Windows 10
To perform the functions that perform both hard links and symbolic links we must install the HardLink Shell extension on our Windows 10 computer from this link . Additionally it will also be necessary to install the chocolatey extension.
Choose the link source
Once the installation is finished, when we right-click on a file or folder, the context menu will appear with a new option called “Select the source of the link” that we must select.
Drop as …
Once this option is chosen, we right-click again and the menu will show “Cancel the creation of the link” along with the option “Drop as …”. Within the options of “Drop as …”. If we have selected a file we can create hard links and symbolic links.
In case we have selected single or multiple files, we will also have other options such as “Union”, “Smart Copy”, “Smart Mirror”, “DeLorean Copy”, “Strong Link Clone” and “Symbolic Link Clone”.
Once we create a hard link, we simply have to drag and drop elements . In this simple way we can have a file and drop it in different folders instead of having to duplicate and copy it folder by folder.