---
syntax: markdown
tags: [tldr, common]
source: https://github.com/tldr-pages/tldr.git
---
# stow

> Symlink manager.
> Often used to manage dotfiles.
> See also: `chezmoi`, `tuckr`, `vcsh`, `homeshick`.
> More information: <https://www.gnu.org/software/stow>.

- Symlink all files recursively to a given directory:

`stow --target={{path/to/target_directory}} {{file1 directory1 file2 directory2}}`

- Delete symlinks recursively from a given directory:

`stow --delete --target={{path/to/target_directory}} {{file1 directory1 file2 directory2}}`

- Simulate to see what the result would be like:

`stow --simulate --target={{path/to/target_directory}} {{file1 directory1 file2 directory2}}`

- Delete and resymlink:

`stow --restow --target={{path/to/target_directory}} {{file1 directory1 file2 directory2}}`

- Exclude files matching a regular expression:

`stow --ignore={{regular_expression}} --target={{path/to/target_directory}} {{file1 directory1 file2 directory2}}`
