Equivalent for Windows 7 "mklink" on OS X?

Question

Is there a feature on OS X that does the same as mklink under Windows 7? It can create symbolic links and hard links.

I have just read about this tool to have Dropbox sync an application folder by combining it with mklink on Windows 7, using a hard link:

http://www.hackingfreaks.in/2011/01/9-amazing-software-mashups-killer-free.html

How can I achieve this on OS X?

Solution

Open /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app. Run ln for a short description and man ln for the documentation.

Example:

ln existing.txt new.txt

For folders, create a symbolic link using ln -s:

ln -s existing new

As per Scott's comment, these symbolic links work with Dropbox on OS X

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Hardlinks on folders are possible but difficult, and insanely dangerous if you mess it up (they don't like recursion).

Comments

[Scott]

Use a symlink to sync folders outside your Dropbox on Mac OS X (and Linux for that matter). It works fine, and you avoid the whole can of worms that hard linking directories is. See wiki.dropbox.com/TipsAndTricks/SyncOtherFolders