PowerShell

PowerShell is a task automation and <a href="/facts/Configuration_management/BRDwuKRk">configuration management</a> program from <a href="/facts/Microsoft/nGIDDXdx">Microsoft</a>, consisting of a <a href="/facts/Command-line_shell/R9JpGmXQ">command-line shell</a> and the associated <a href="/facts/Scripting_language/8pF4ajBL">scripting language</a>. Initially a Windows component only, known as Windows PowerShell, it was made <a href="/facts/Open-source_software/HzTaB8E9">open-source</a> and <a href="/facts/Cross-platform/16zqdvNR">cross-platform</a> on August 18, 2016, with the introduction of PowerShell Core. The former is built on the <a href="/facts/.NET_Framework/J6QDAUhP">.NET Framework</a>, the latter on <a href="/facts/.NET/PDMQdfFu">.NET</a> (previously .NET Core).
PowerShell is bundled with all currently supported <a href="/facts/List_of_Microsoft_Windows_versions/B88Nj9MD">Windows versions</a>, and can also be installed on <a href="/facts/MacOS/Y93vVpTm">macOS</a> and <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a>. Since <a href="/facts/Windows_10/be9IHehJ">Windows 10</a> build 14971, PowerShell replaced <a href="/facts/Cmd.exe/FUmTvew6">Command Prompt (cmd.exe)</a> and became the default <a href="/facts/Command_shell/Sa67elS7">command shell</a> for <a href="/facts/File_Explorer/oQW5yNnJ">File Explorer</a>.
In PowerShell, administrative tasks are generally performed via cmdlets (pronounced command-lets), which are specialized .NET <a href="/facts/Class_(computer_programming)/zvzkSAtE">classes</a> implementing a particular operation. These work by accessing data in different data stores, like the <a href="/facts/File_system/FdPm90uc">file system</a> or <a href="/facts/Windows_Registry/cH9RlHTp">Windows Registry</a>, which are made available to PowerShell via providers. Third-party developers can add cmdlets and providers to PowerShell. Cmdlets may be used by scripts, which may in turn be packaged into modules. Cmdlets work in tandem with the .NET <a href="/facts/Application_programming_interface/GMlN4vUr">API</a>.
PowerShell's support for <a href="/facts/.NET_Remoting/62V12d3N">.NET Remoting</a>, <a href="/facts/WS-Management/JJjUj7sy">WS-Management</a>, <a href="/facts/Common_Information_Model_(computing)/B8MTC0kh">CIM</a>, and <a href="/facts/SSH/wjVRw5zv">SSH</a> enables administrators to perform administrative tasks on both local and remote Windows systems. PowerShell also provides a hosting <a href="/facts/API/GMlN4vUr">API</a> with which the PowerShell runtime can be embedded inside other applications. These applications can then use PowerShell functionality to implement certain operations, including those exposed via the <a href="/facts/Graphical_user_interface/wBlQFWDP">graphical interface</a>. This capability has been used by <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Exchange_Server/9pu8G4It">Microsoft Exchange Server</a> 2007 to expose its management functionality as PowerShell cmdlets and providers and implement the <a href="/facts/Graphical_user_interface/wBlQFWDP">graphical</a> management tools as PowerShell hosts which invoke the necessary cmdlets. Other Microsoft applications including <a href="/facts/Microsoft_SQL_Server_2008/eCdt2JBL">Microsoft SQL Server 2008</a> also expose their management interface via PowerShell cmdlets.
PowerShell includes its own extensive, <a href="/facts/Command-line_interface/R9JpGmXQ">console-based</a> help (similar to <a href="/facts/Man_page/S2yYjy0J">man pages</a> in <a href="/facts/Unix_shell/2G4T2Fb9">Unix shells</a>) accessible via the Get-Help cmdlet. Updated local help contents can be retrieved from the Internet via the Update-Help cmdlet. Alternatively, help from the web can be acquired on a case-by-case basis via the -online switch to Get-Help.

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PowerShell