A symbolic link is a pointer that refers to another file or directory without copying or moving it. This can help you simplify your file structure, share files between web applications, and avoid duplication.
Creating Symlink
You can create two types of symlink in RunCloud: namely Config and Directory.
Config
This is where you can add your configuration files, such as .env, .htaccess, etc. Configuration files are usually not tracked by git, as they may either contain sensitive information, or vary depending on the environment. You can store your configuration files in a secure and encrypted folder called ‘configs‘, and then link them to your web applications using symlink.
When you create a config file, you need to choose which Web Application will receive this config. Most of the time, you need to choose all Web Applications, unless each Web Application uses different configs.
For example, with Laravel and Symfony you have .env config files. Let’s say you name it application-env. Inside the ‘link from‘ field, you should add application-env and .env in the ‘link to‘ field.
The name of the file inside the configs folder doesn’t matter, but in the link to field, you should name it with the correct name for your application.
Note: The config file that you create will be encrypted and stored in the configs folder on your server. You will need to provide the secret key when you want to install or update the config file. If you forget the secret key, you will have to delete the config file and create a new one. Deleting the config file will not affect your web application folder.
Directory
This is where you can link your uploaded files or folders, such as images, videos, documents, etc. Uploaded files or folders are usually not tracked by git, as they may change frequently or take up too much space. You can store your uploaded files or folders in a separate folder called ‘storage‘, and then link them to your web applications using symlink.
Note: The folder that you link should be empty in your web application folder, otherwise it will be replaced by the symlink.
Linking the Configs and Directories
The configs and directories that you create using symlink will not be linked immediately to your web applications. You will need to deploy your web applications for the linking to take effect. You can do this by either using git or by clicking on Force Deployment from your web application settings.