PowerShell Tutorial for Beginners, Welcome to the world of PowerShell, a versatile and powerful command-line scripting language that empowers users to interact with their computer systems in a more efficient and effective manner. Whether you’re a complete novice to scripting and automation or an experienced user looking to dive into the world of PowerShell, this tutorial is your starting point. PowerShell is an essential tool for IT professionals, system administrators, and anyone who wants to streamline and automate tasks on Windows and other platforms.
What is Windows Powershell?
Windows PowerShell is one of the free scripting applications preinstalled in Windows machine or directly can be downloaded from Windows official website. From windows 7 onwards Microsoft introduced Powershell.ise where we can test our scripts and later save them in .ps1 format. Although there are many advantages of using Powershell our main use is to automate things so that we can save time and manual work.
Today, Powershell comes with great cmdlets that can be used to run in any specific application-related servers that can be SQL, Sharepoint, etc. Well, everything can be automated with Powershell. Although sometimes it is highly recommended to do things manually as the world is progressing to achieve automation and cut manual tasks it is really important to cope with moving technologies.
How to open Powershell?
In this section, we will understand How to open Powershell from Windows.
There are many ways to open Powershell let’s check one by one .
Step 1) From the start menu, just search for Powershell and there you go.
Step 2) From the command prompt (cmd).
Step 3) From Run.exe, we just need to type Powershell and the Powershell window will open.
Why use Powershell?
Below are some of the reasons you should use Powershell.
- Powershell offers a well-integrated command-line experience for the operation system.
- PowerShell allows complete access to all of the types in the .NET framework.
- Trusted by system administrators.
- PowerShell is a simple way to manipulate server and workstation components.
- It’s geared toward system administrators by creating a more easy syntax.
- PowerShell is more secure than running VBScript or other scripting languages.
- User-friendly and easy to understand.
How to find out which Powershell Version is running?
Below is the command which we will use to find out the Powershell Version. This is one of the basic commands we will learn in today’s post.
$PSVersionTable
Copy this code in the Powershell ad press “Enter” to see the result by yourself.
How to run a Powershell script?
- Launch Windows PowerShell, and wait a moment for the
PScommand prompt to appear. Navigate to the directory where the script lives
PS> cd C:\my_path\yada_yada\Execute the script:
PS> .\run_import_script.ps1
Or
You can run the PowerShell script from cmd.exe like this:
powershell -noexit "& ""C:\run_import_script.ps1"""Commands for Windows Powershell
The following chart lists Windows PowerShell command aliases, the Windows PowerShell cmdlet name, and a description of what the command actually does.
Source: Dr. Scripto
Command alias | Cmdlet name | Description of command |
% | ForEach-Object | Performs an operation against each item in a collection of input objects. |
? | Where-Object | Selects objects from a collection based on their property values. |
ac | Add-Content | Appends content, such as words or data, to a file. |
asnp | Add-PSSnapIn | Adds one or more Windows PowerShell snap-ins to the current session. |
cat | Get-Content | Gets the contents of a file. |
cd | Set-Location | Sets the current working location to a specified location. |
chdir | Set-Location | Sets the current working location to a specified location. |
clc | Clear-Content | Deletes the contents of an item, but does not delete the item. |
clear | Clear-Host | Clears the display in the host program. |
clhy | Clear-History | Deletes entries from the command history. |
cli | Clear-Item | Deletes the contents of an item, but does not delete the item. |
clp | Clear-ItemProperty | Deletes the value of a property but does not delete the property. |
cls | Clear-Host | Clears the display in the host program. |
clv | Clear-Variable | Deletes the value of a variable. |
cnsn | Connect-PSSession | Reconnects to disconnected sessions |
compare | Compare-Object | Compares two sets of objects. |
copy | Copy-Item | Copies an item from one location to another. |
cp | Copy-Item | Copies an item from one location to another. |
cpi | Copy-Item | Copies an item from one location to another. |
cpp | Copy-ItemProperty | Copies a property and value from a specified location to another location. |
curl | Invoke-WebRequest | Gets content from a webpage on the Internet. |
cvpa | Convert-Path | Converts a path from a Windows PowerShell path to a Windows PowerShell provider path. |
dbp | Disable-PSBreakpoint | Disables the breakpoints in the current console. |
del | Remove-Item | Deletes files and folders. |
diff | Compare-Object | Compares two sets of objects. |
dir | Get-ChildItem | Gets the files and folders in a file system drive. |
dnsn | Disconnect-PSSession | Disconnects from a session. |
ebp | Enable-PSBreakpoint | Enables the breakpoints in the current console. |
echo | Write-Output | Sends the specified objects to the next command in the pipeline. If the command is the last command in the pipeline, the objects are displayed in the console. |
epal | Export-Alias | Exports information about currently defined aliases to a file. |
epcsv | Export-Csv | Converts objects into a series of comma-separated (CSV) strings and saves the strings in a CSV file. |
epsn | Export-PSSession | Imports commands from another session and saves them in a Windows PowerShell module. |
erase | Remove-Item | Deletes files and folders. |
etsn | Enter-PSSession | Starts an interactive session with a remote computer. |
exsn | Exit-PSSession | Ends an interactive session with a remote computer. |
fc | Format-Custom | Uses a customized view to format the output. |
fl | Format-List | Formats the output as a list of properties in which each property appears on a new line. |
foreach | ForEach-Object | Performs an operation against each item in a collection of input objects. |
ft | Format-Table | Formats the output as a table. |
fw | Format-Wide | Formats objects as a wide table that displays only one property of each object. |
gal | Get-Alias | Gets the aliases for the current session. |
gbp | Get-PSBreakpoint | Gets the breakpoints that are set in the current session. |
gc | Get-Content | Gets the contents of a file. |
gci | Get-ChildItem | Gets the files and folders in a file system drive. |
gcm | Get-Command | Gets all commands. |
gcs | Get-PSCallStack | Displays the current call stack. |
gdr | Get-PSDrive | Gets drives in the current session. |
ghy | Get-History | Gets a list of the commands entered during the current session. |
gi | Get-Item | Gets files and folders. |
gjb | Get-Job | Gets Windows PowerShell background jobs that are running in the current session. |
gl | Get-Location | Gets information about the current working location or a location stack. |
gm | Get-Member | Gets the properties and methods of objects. |
gmo | Get-Module | Gets the modules that have been imported or that can be imported into the current session. |
gp | Get-ItemProperty | Gets the properties of a specified item. |
gps | Get-Process | Gets the processes that are running on the local computer or a remote computer. |
group | Group-Object | Groups objects that contain the same value for specified properties. |
gsn | Get-PSSession | Gets the Windows PowerShell sessions on local and remote computers. |
gsnp | Get-PSSnapIn | Gets the Windows PowerShell snap-ins on the computer. |
gsv | Get-Service | Gets the services on a local or remote computer. |
gu | Get-Unique | Returns unique items from a sorted list. |
gv | Get-Variable | Gets the variables in the current console. |
gwmi | Get-WmiObject | Gets instances of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) classes or information about the available classes. |
h | Get-History | Gets a list of the commands entered during the current session. |
history | Get-History | Gets a list of the commands entered during the current session. |
icm | Invoke-Command | Runs commands on local and remote computers. |
iex | Invoke-Expression | Runs commands or expressions on the local computer. |
ihy | Invoke-History | Runs commands from the session history. |
ii | Invoke-Item | Performs the default action on the specified item. |
ipal | Import-Alias | Imports an alias list from a file. |
ipcsv | Import-Csv | Creates table-like custom objects from the items in a CSV file. |
ipmo | Import-Module | Adds modules to the current session. |
ipsn | Import-PSSes sion | Imports commands from another session into the current session. |
irm | Invoke-RestMethod | Sends an HTTP or HTTPS request to a RESTful web service. |
ise | powershell_ise.exe | Explains how to use the PowerShell_ISE.exe command-line tool. |
iwmi | Invoke-WMIMethod | Calls Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) methods. |
iwr | Invoke-WebRequest | Gets content from a web page on the Internet. |
kill | Stop-Process | Stops one or more running processes. |
lp | Out-Printer | Sends output to a printer. |
ls | Get-ChildItem | Gets the files and folders in a file system drive. |
man | help | Displays information about Windows PowerShell commands and concepts. |
md | mkdir | Creates a new item. |
measure | Measure-Object | Calculates the numeric properties of objects, and the characters, words, and lines in string objects, such as files of text. |
mi | Move-Item | Moves an item from one location to another. |
mount | New-PSDrive | Creates temporary and persistent mapped network drives. |
move | Move-Item | Moves an item from one location to another. |
mp | Move-ItemProperty | Moves a property from one location to another. |
mv | Move-Item | Moves an item from one location to another. |
nal | New-Alias | Creates a new alias. |
ndr | New-PSDrive | Creates temporary and persistent mapped network drives. |
ni | New-Item | Creates a new item. |
nmo | New-Module | Creates a new dynamic module that exists only in memory. |
npssc | New-PSSessionConfigurationFile | Creates a file that defines a session configuration. |
nsn | New-PSSession | Creates a persistent connection to a local or remote computer. |
nv | New-Variable | Creates a new variable. |
ogv | Out-GridView | Sends output to an interactive table in a separate window. |
oh | Out-Host | Sends output to the command line. |
popd | Pop-Location | Changes the current location to the location most recently pushed to the stack. You can pop the location from the default stack or from a stack that you create by using the Push-Location cmdlet. |
ps | Get-Process | Gets the processes that are running on the local computer or a remote computer. |
pushd | Push-Location | Adds the current location to the top of a location stack. |
pwd | Get-Location | Gets information about the current working location or a location stack. |
r | Invoke-History | Runs commands from the session history. |
rbp | Remove-PSBreakpoint | Deletes breakpoints from the current console. |
rcjb | Receive-Job | Gets the results of the Windows PowerShell background jobs in the current session. |
rcsn | Receive-PSSession | Gets results of commands in disconnected sessions. |
rd | Remove-Item | Deletes files and folders. |
rdr | Remove-PSDrive | Deletes temporary Windows PowerShell drives and disconnects mapped network drives. |
ren | Rename-Item | Renames an item in a Windows PowerShell provider namespace. |
ri | Remove-Item | Deletes files and folders. |
rjb | Remove-Job | Deletes a Windows PowerShell background job. |
rm | Remove-Item | Deletes files and folders. |
rmdir | Remove-Item | Deletes files and folders. |
rmo | Remove-Module | Removes modules from the current session. |
rni | Rename-Item | Renames an item in a Windows PowerShell provider namespace. |
rnp | Rename-ItemProperty | Renames a property of an item. |
rp | Remove-ItemProperty | Deletes the property and its value from an item. |
rsn | Remove-PSSession | Closes one or more Windows PowerShell sessions (PSSessions). |
rsnp | Remove-PSSnapin | Removes Windows PowerShell snap-ins from the current session. |
rujb | Resume-Job | Restarts a suspended job |
rv | Remove-Variable | Deletes a variable and its value. |
rvpa | Resolve-Path | Resolves the wildcard characters in a path, and displays the path contents. |
rwmi | Remove-WMIObject | Deletes an instance of an existing Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) class. |
sajb | Start-Job | Starts a Windows PowerShell background job. |
sal | Set-Alias | Creates or changes an alias (alternate name) for a cmdlet or other command element in the current Windows PowerShell session. |
saps | Start-Process | Starts one or more processes on the local computer. |
sasv | Start-Service | Starts one or more stopped services. |
sbp | Set-PSBreakpoint | Sets a breakpoint on a line, command, or variable. |
sc | Set-Content | Replaces the contents of a file with contents that you specify. |
select | Select-Object | Selects objects or object properties. |
set | Set-Variable | Sets the value of a variable. Creates the variable if one with the requested name does not exist. |
shcm | Show-Command | Creates Windows PowerShell commands in a graphical command window. |
si | Set-Item | Changes the value of an item to the valu |
Powershell script - Execute your first script now
Try to execute the above commands one by one as a PowerShell script and check out the output of each and understand the working of it. Also, I am providing some of the sample codes which you can run and understand the working of the Scripts. In the other coming blog, we will discuss more on looping in Powershell.
$a = Write-host " Welcome to Powershellguru "
$a
get-help write-host
get-command "Any above cmdlets"
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