40 Most Common PowerShell Commands
Introduction to PowerShell
PowerShell is a powerful command-line shell and scripting language designed for system administration and automation. It’s an essential tool for IT professionals. In this guide, we will cover the 40 most commonly used PowerShell commands, complete with descriptions and code snippets.
PowerShell Command List
Below are the 40 essential PowerShell commands you should know:
1. Get-Help
Get-Help
The Get-Help cmdlet provides help information for cmdlets, functions, workflows, and scripts. It’s a quick way to understand how a command works.
2. Get-Process
Get-Process
Displays a list of all running processes on your machine. This is helpful for monitoring system performance and resource usage.
3. Set-ExecutionPolicy
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
Changes the user’s script execution policy to control the ability to run scripts on the system. This is crucial for security.
4. Get-Service
Get-Service
This command allows you to retrieve the status of all services running on your system.
5. Start-Service
Start-Service -Name "ServiceName"
Used to start a service on your system. Replace "ServiceName" with the actual service name.
6. Stop-Service
Stop-Service -Name "ServiceName"
This command is used to stop a service on your system.
7. Set-ItemProperty
Set-ItemProperty -Path "C:\Path\To\File" -Name "PropertyName" -Value "NewValue"
Changes properties of items like files, directories, or registry keys
8. Get-EventLog
Get-EventLog -LogName "Application"
Retrieve entries from event logs. This is important for troubleshooting and monitoring system events.
9. Get-Command
Get-Command
Displays all cmdlets, functions, workflows, aliases, and scripts available in the session.
10. Get-Content
Get-Content "C:\Path\To\File.txt"
Reads the content of a file, allowing you to display it on the screen.
11. Set-Content
Set-Content "C:\Path\To\File.txt" -Value "New Content"
Writes new content to a file.
12. Get-ADUser
Get-ADUser -Identity "username"
Writes new content to a file.
13. New-Item
New-Item -Path "C:\Path" -Name "NewFolder" -ItemType Directory
Creates a new item, such as a file or folder.
14. Remove-Item
Remove-Item "C:\Path\To\File.txt"
Deletes files or folders from the system
15. Get-Process -Name
Get-Process -Name "processname"
Returns information about a specific process running on the system.
16. Get-FileHash
Get-FileHash "C:\Path\To\File.txt"
Retrieves an item, such as a file or directory, from the specified path.
17. Get-Item
Get-Item "C:\Path\To\File.txt"
Retrieves an item, such as a file or directory, from the specified path.
18. Set-Item
Set-Item "C:\Path\To\File.txt" -Value "New Value"
Sets the value of an item like a file or registry key.
19. Test-Connection
Test-Connection "hostname"
Tests network connectivity to a remote host.
20. Get-PSDrive
Test-Connection "hostname"
Displays all the drives available in the current session, including file system, registry, and environment drives.
21. Clear-Host
Clear-Host
Clears the console screen.
22. Get-Date
Get-Date
Displays the current date and time
23. Get-Help
Get-Help "cmdlet"
Provides detailed help for a specific cmdlet.
24. Export-Csv
Export-Csv -Path "C:\Path\To\File.csv" -NoTypeInformation
Exports data to a CSV file.
25. Import-Csv
Import-Csv -Path "C:\Path\To\File.csv"
Imports data from a CSV file.
26. Get-EventLog
Get-EventLog -LogName "System" -Newest 10
Shows the most recent events from a specific log.
27. Set-Alias
Set-Alias "aliasName" "cmdletName"
Creates an alias for a cmdlet, simplifying repeated commands.
28. Get-Help Command
Get-Help Get-Process
Displays help for a specific cmdlet or function.
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29. New-PSDrive
New-PSDrive -Name "DriveName" -PSProvider FileSystem -Root "C:\"
Creates a new PowerShell drive.
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30. Remove-PSDrive
Remove-PSDrive -Name "DriveName"
Removes a PowerShell drive.
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31. Out-File
Out-File "C:\Path\To\Output.txt"
Redirects output to a file.
32. Select-Object
Select-Object -Property "Property1", "Property2"
Selects specific properties from an object or collection.
33. Invoke-Command
Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock { Get-Process }
Executes a command on a remote system.
34. Get-Location
Get-Location
Displays the current directory.
35. Set-Location
Set-Location "C:\NewDirectory"
Changes the current directory.
36. Get-Help Get-Command
Get-Help Get-Command
Displays detailed help for the Get-Command cmdlet.
37. Add-Content
Add-Content "C:\Path\To\File.txt" -Value "Additional Content"
Appends content to an existing file.
38. Test-Path
Test-Path "C:\Path\To\File.txt"
Checks if a file or directory exists.
39. ForEach-Object
ForEach-Object { $_ }
Performs an operation on each item in a collection.
40. Where-Object
Where-Object { $_.Property -eq "Value" }
Filters objects based on specified conditions.
Conclusion
PowerShell is an invaluable tool for automation and system management. These 40 commands cover the basics, but PowerShell’s capabilities extend far beyond this list. Keep experimenting and exploring to unlock its full potential.
