Can hard links be created for directories?

In most modern file systems, hard links for directories are either not allowed or strictly limited. The main reason is to prevent cycles in the directory structure, which can compromise the integrity of the file system and complicate tree traversal.

For example, in Unix-like systems, creating hard links to directories is usually prohibited for regular users and only allowed for system processes (e.g., to implement . and ..). Instead, symbolic links (soft links) are used for directories, which can point to directories without the risk of creating cycles.

In summary:

• Hard links for files are common practice.
• Hard links for directories are prohibited or limited.
• Symbolic links are used for directories.