ligand in a complex salt are..

1. anions linked by coordinate bonds to a central metal ion or atom
2. ions or molecules linked by coordinate bonds to a central metal ion or atom

please explain it also...

Dear student!

It is both, actually the ligends are the species which makes co-ordinate bonds with central metal atoms and they may be anionic (ex: -Cl, -F etc) , molecular (ex: water, ammonia etc) and macromolecules like proteins etc. too.