PowerShell Basics #1: Setting Up Your Environment
TL;DR
PowerShell is a cross-platform, object-oriented shell & scripting language for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Install PowerShell 7+ Core via Winget alongside Windows Terminal for the optimal command-line experience. Understand the difference between legacy Windows PowerShell 5.1 and modern cross-platform PowerShell 7+. PowerShell is a command-line shell and scripting language from Microsoft for Windows, Linux, and macOS. It helps automate administrative tasks and manage infrastructure cleanly.
Command-line shell: Interactive prompt with tab completion & predictive IntelliSense Scripting language: Write complete, reusable scripts (.ps1) to automate complex workflows Object-oriented: Commands (cmdlets) pass rich .NET objects through the pipeline, not raw text strings Cross-platform: Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS (PowerShell 7+) Windows PowerShell 5.1 vs. PowerShell 7+ # Feature Windows PowerShell 5.1 PowerShell 7+ (Core) Underlying Engine .NET Framework (Windows only) .NET 8+ (Cross-platform) Supported OS Windows 7 / 10 / 11 / Server Windows, Linux, macOS Performance Standard High performance & parallel pipeline (ForEach-Object -Parallel) Executable Name powershell.exe pwsh.exe Note: Windows PowerShell 5.1 comes built into Windows and will remain for backward compatibility. Modern automation should target PowerShell 7+ (pwsh.exe).