How to Create Symbolic Links (symlink) in PHP for Your Laravel Project Manually

Create Symbolic Links (symlink) in PHP for Your Laravel Project Manually

If you're working on a Laravel project and need to create a symbolic link manually, PHP provides an easy way to accomplish this using the symlink function. Here's how you can set up a symbolic link to make your storage files accessible from the public directory.

What is a Symbolic Link in Laravel?

A symbolic link, or "symlink," is a reference or shortcut that points to another directory or file. In Laravel, symlinks are commonly used to link the storage directory (where uploaded and generated files are stored) to the public directory, making these files accessible via the web. 

Using PHP to Create a Symlink

To create a symbolic link for the storage directory, you can use the following PHP script:

<?php

// Get the current working directory

echo getcwd();

// Create a symbolic link from the storage path to the public directory

symlink('/home/root_path/public_html/your_laravel_project_name/storage/app/public', '/home/root_path/public_html/storage');

echo 'Symbolic link created successfully!';

?>

Why Use symlink in Laravel?

Laravel offers a built-in Artisan command for creating symbolic links:

php artisan storage:link

However, in certain scenarios (like shared hosting environments where SSH access is restricted), you may not be able to run Artisan commands. This is where PHP’s symlink function becomes a handy alternative.