Shortcuts are implemented through an OLE interface called IShellLink. If you plan to create or manipulate shortcuts programmatically, it will be helpful to be familiar with some of the basic concepts of OLE, although you don't need to be an OLE guru. To understand and use shortcuts, the most important topic to read up on is the Component Object Model. Reading the first two chapters of Inside OLE, 2d edition, by Kraig Brockschmidt (Microsoft Press, 1995), should give you sufficient background. For now, however, here is a very brief overview of the Component Object Model.