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Adding a symlink in Git on Windows

Last Updated: [2023-04-06 Thu 05:48]

This is a cross platform Bash script, but aimed at Windows users who need to create a Symlink in a Git Repo

Latest version: GitHub

Windows is notoriously bad when it comes to git compatibility. Case in point: The inability to create symlinks that git can understand. (Even when using Windows's seldom used symbolic link function by default without going round the houses: Git For Windows wiki article about Symbolic-Links)

To address this, this script has been created to allow you to create a symlink within the local git repo itself and pull it back onto your local machine's filesystem.

Installing

To install the script, launch Git Bash and run the following:

mkdir -p $HOME/bin && curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/roberthawdon/miscellaneous-scripts/master/git-add-symlink/git-add-symlink > $HOME/bin/git-add-symlink && chmod +x $HOME/bin/git-add-symlink

Testing

You can test it was installed correctly simply by running git-add-symlink from the terminal, the following should be outputted:

Usage: git-add-symlink <src> <dest>
<src> and <dest> are relative to pwd.

Using

You should then be able to run the following:

git-add-symlink foo bar

Where foo is the source, and bar is the destination.

You can then commit and push as normal (note, you don't need to git add when only adding a symlink with this script)

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this website is generated from my own notes and is provided "as is" and without warranties. Robert Ian Hawdon can not be held responsible for damages caused by following a guide published on this site. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are provided as convienice of the reader. I do not endorce the contents of these third party sites.