---
title: "readSymbolicLink(_:replyHandler:)"
framework: fskit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "fskit/fsvolume/operations/readsymboliclink(_:replyhandler:)"
---

# readSymbolicLink(_:replyHandler:)

Reads a symbolic link.

## Declaration

```swift
func readSymbolicLink(_ item: FSItem, replyHandler reply: @escaping @Sendable (FSFileName?, (any Error)?) -> Void)
```

```swift
func readSymbolicLink(_ item: FSItem) async throws -> FSFileName
```

## Parameters

- `item`: The symbolic link to read from. FSKit guarantees this item is of type doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSItem/ItemType/symlink.
- `reply`: A block or closure to indicate success or failure. If reading succeeds, pass the link’s contents as an doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSFileName and a nil error. If reading fails, pass the relevant error as the second parameter; FSKit ignores any doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSFileName in this case. For an async Swift implementation, there’s no reply handler; simply return the doc://FSKit/documentation/FSKit/FSFileName or throw an error.