Hard Linker

A native macOS application for creating hard links between folders using the cp -al command. Built with SwiftUI and packaged as a complete .app bundle.

Features

• Drag & Drop Interface: Simply drag folders into the app or use the file picker
• Multiple Source Folders: Link multiple source folders to one destination
• Visual Feedback: Real-time status updates and progress indicators
• Error Handling: Clear error messages if operations fail
• Native macOS Design: Built with SwiftUI for a modern, native experience

What are Hard Links?

Hard links are references to the same data on disk. Unlike symbolic links, hard links:

• Don't break if the original file is moved or deleted
• Take up minimal additional disk space
• Appear as regular files/folders in Finder
• Are perfect for creating multiple access points to the same data

This app uses the cp -al command which creates hard links for all files in the source directory structure.

Requirements

• macOS 13.0 or later
• Admin privileges may be required for some file operations

Installation

Option 1: Download Release

1. Download the latest Hard Linker.app from the releases page
2. Move it to your Applications folder
3. Right-click and select "Open" the first time to bypass Gatekeeper

Option 2: Build from Source

1. Clone this repository
2. Open Terminal in the project directory
3. Run swift build -c release
4. The built app is included in the repository as Hard Linker.app

Usage

1. Launch Hard Linker
2. Add Source Folders:
   • Drag folders into the "Source Folders" area, or
   • Click the area and select folders using the file picker
3. Set Destination:
   • Drag a destination folder into the "Destination Folder" area, or
   • Click the area and select a destination folder
4. Create Links: Click "Create Hard Links" to start the process
5. Monitor Progress: Watch the status messages for completion or errors

How It Works

The app executes cp -al <source> <destination> for each source folder:

• -a preserves file attributes and permissions
• -l creates hard links instead of copying data

This creates a complete directory structure in the destination with hard links to all files from the source.

Use Cases

• Backup Solutions: Create space-efficient backups
• Development: Link project folders for different access points
• Media Organization: Create multiple organizational structures for the same files
• Testing: Create test environments without duplicating large datasets

Technical Details

• Language: Swift 5.9+
• Framework: SwiftUI
• Target: macOS 13.0+
• Architecture: Universal (Apple Silicon + Intel)

Project Structure

Hard Linker/
├── Package.swift              # Swift Package Manager configuration
├── Sources/
│   └── HardLinkCreator/
│       └── HardLinkCreator.swift  # Main application code
├── AppIcon.iconset/           # Source icon files
├── AppIcon.icns              # Compiled app icon
└── Hard Linker.app/          # Complete app bundle
    ├── Contents/
    │   ├── Info.plist        # App metadata
    │   ├── MacOS/
    │   │   └── Hard Linker   # Executable
    │   └── Resources/
    │       └── AppIcon.icns  # App icon

Development

To modify or extend the app:

1. Edit Sources/HardLinkCreator/HardLinkCreator.swift
2. Build with swift build -c release
3. Update the app bundle: cp .build/release/HardLinkCreator "Hard Linker.app/Contents/MacOS/Hard Linker"

License

Copyright © 2025 Josh Ferrara. All rights reserved.

Contributing

Feel free to open issues or submit pull requests to improve the app!