[fs.op.read.symlink]

path filesystem::read_symlink(const path& p);
path filesystem::read_symlink(const path& p, error_code& ec);

Returns: If p resolves to a symbolic link, a path object containing the contents of that symbolic link.

The signature with argument ec returns path() if an error occurs.

Throws: As specified in [fs.err.report].

[Note 1:

It is an error if p does not resolve to a symbolic link.

— end note]

31 Input/output library [input.output]