Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) Practice Exam

The defining characteristic of hard links is that they are simply different directory entries for the same underlying file on the disk, pointing to the same inode. A critical aspect of hard links is that they reference the same data as the original file; therefore, it is incorrect to state that they cannot reference the same data as the original file. When you delete a hard link, it does not delete the original file as long as at least one reference to that file continues to exist. This is because both the original file and any hard links continue to refer to the same data until all links to that data are removed.

While terminal commands are commonly used to create hard links, they can also be created through graphical user interfaces that support this functionality, so this option is not accurate. Hard links do not involve creating independent copies; instead, they share the same data source, reinforcing the point that changes to the file via any hard link will reflect across all references to it.

Recognizing these attributes clarifies that hard links do not function solely through terminal commands and that their very nature ensures they are all linked to the same physical data. Thus, understanding these details aids in comprehending how hard links operate within a filesystem.