NAME

       hardlink - Link multiple copies of a file

SYNOPSIS

       hardlink [option]...  [directory|file]...

DESCRIPTION

       hardlink is a tool which replaces copies of a file with hardlinks, therefore saving space.

OPTIONS

       -h or --help
              print quick usage details to the screen.

       -v or --verbose
              More  verbose  output.  If  specified  once, every hardlinked file is displayed, if
              specified twice, it also shows every comparison.

       -n or --dry-run
              Do not act, just print what would happen

       -f or --respect-name
              Only try to link files with the same (basename).

       -p or --ignore-mode
              Link/compare  files  even  if  their  mode  is  different.  This  may  be   a   bit
              unpredictable.

       -o or --ignore-owner
              Link/compare  files  even  if  their owner (user and group) is different. It is not
              predictable

       -t or --ignore-time
              Link/compare files even if their time  of  modification  is  different.  This  will
              retain the newest timestamp, unless -m or -M is given.

       -m or --maximize
              Try to maximize the link count of the files.

       -M or --minimize
              Try to minimize the link count of the files.

       -x or --exclude
              A regular expression which excludes files from being compared and linked.

       -i or --include
              A regular expression to include files. If the option --exclude has been given, this
              option re-includes files which would otherwise be excluded. If the option  is  used
              without --exclude, only files matched by the pattern are included.

ARGUMENTS

       hardlink takes one or more directories which will be searched for files to be linked.

BUGS

       hardlink  assumes  that the trees it operates on do not change during operation. If a tree
       does change, the result is undefined and potentially dangerous. For example, if a  regular
       file  is  replaced by a device, hardlink may start reading from the device. If a component
       of a path is replaced by a symbolic link or  file  permissions  change,  security  may  be
       compromised.  Do  not  run  hardlink on a changing tree or on a tree controlled by another
       user.

AUTHOR

       The program hardlink and this manpage have been written by Julian Andres  Klode,  and  are
       licensed under the MIT license. See the code of hardlink for further information.