(coreutils.info)readlink invocation

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12.6 `readlink': Print the referent of a symbolic link
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`readlink' may work in one of two supported modes:

`Readlink mode'
     `readlink' outputs the value of the given symbolic link.  If
     `readlink' is invoked with an argument other than the name of a
     symbolic link, it produces no output and exits with a nonzero exit
     code.

`Canonicalize mode'
     `readlink' outputs the absolute name of the given file which
     contains no `.', `..' components nor any repeated separators (`/')
     or symbolic links.


     readlink [OPTION] FILE

   By default, `readlink' operates in readlink mode.

   The program accepts the following options.  Also see Note: Common
options.

`-f'
`--canonicalize'
     Activate canonicalize mode.  If any component of the file name
     except the last one is missing or unavailable, `readlink' produces
     no output and exits with a nonzero exit code.

`-e'
`--canonicalize-existing'
     Activate canonicalize mode.  If any component is missing or
     unavailable, `readlink' produces no output and exits with a
     nonzero exit code.

`-m'
`--canonicalize-missing'
     Activate canonicalize mode.  If any component is missing or
     unavailable, `readlink' treats it as a directory.

`-n'
`--no-newline'
     Do not output the trailing newline.

`-s'
`-q'
`--silent'
`--quiet'
     Suppress most error messages.

`-v'
`--verbose'
     Report error messages.


   The `readlink' utility first appeared in OpenBSD 2.1.

   An exit status of zero indicates success, and a nonzero value
indicates failure.