Allow mklink for a non-admin user

Question

In Linux/Unix, the command to create a symbolic link is called ln. The user doesn't need any special privileges to use it. In the Windows (from 7 onwards) the equivalent is called mklink. It can be issued from the cmd prompt but the user needs to be admin.

I find it quite useful to have symbolic links that I can just rename to pick up different code bases on different variants of the same project.

Is there a setting somewhere like a group policy of some sort that allows non-admin users to use mklink or is it just not allowed because it does something dodgy to the file system?

Edit

Non admin users can make directory links using mklink /J

Answer 1

If you have Windows 10 or newer, and turn on Developer Mode you may be able to create Symbolic Links without requiring admin privileges.

Answer 2

You can set this in gpedit.exe:
(I don't know the exact English terms for that)

 <computer configuration>
   <Windows settings>
     <security settings>
       <local policy>
         <user rights>
           <creating symbolic links>

There you can insert any user you want.