PowerShell 20 Basic Commands and Their Uses

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Learn the 20 basic PowerShell commands for beginners to manage files, processes, and system tasks efficiently with this easy-to-follow guide.

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PowerShell is an essential tool for system administrators and users who want to automate tasks, manage files, and control Windows systems effectively. If you’re looking to understand PowerShell fundamentals, this blog post will introduce you to PowerShell 20 basic commands, covering file management, process control, and system administration.

Whether you need a PowerShell command cheat sheet or a step-by-step PowerShell tutorial, this guide will help you learn PowerShell commands and improve your command-line efficiency.

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What Are Basic PowerShell Commands?

In this section, we will explore the essential PowerShell commands for file management, process management, and system administration to help you get started.

1. Get-Help: Find Information About PowerShell Commands

When working with PowerShell, you may not always remember every command and its syntax. The Get-Help cmdlet provides documentation for any command, including usage examples. For instance, if you want to learn about the Get-Process command, you can run:

Get-Help Get-Process

This will display a detailed explanation of the Get-Process command, helping you understand its functionality and parameters.

2. Get-Command: Discover Available PowerShell Commands

If you’re unsure which command to use, the Get-Command cmdlet helps you explore all available commands in your session. To list all commands, run:

Get-Command

If you’re looking for commands related to processes, you can refine your search:

Get-Command -Noun Process

This helps you quickly find commands based on their functionality.

3. Get-Process: View Running Processes on Your System

To monitor active processes on your computer, use the Get-Process command. It provides details such as process names, IDs, and memory usage. Running the following command will display a list of all running processes:

Get-Process

If you want to check a specific application, like Chrome, run:

Get-Process -Name chrome

This will return all Chrome processes currently running on your system.

4. Stop-Process: Terminate a Running Process

If an application becomes unresponsive, you can use Stop-Process to forcefully close it. For example, to close Notepad, run:

Stop-Process -Name notepad

If you know the process ID (PID), you can use:

Stop-Process -ID 1234

This command is useful for troubleshooting system performance issues.

5. Start-Process: Launch Applications from PowerShell

You can start applications using Start-Process. To open Notepad, run:

Start-Process "notepad.exe"

To open a specific file with Notepad:

Start-Process "notepad.exe" -ArgumentList "C:\Users\example.txt"

This is especially useful for launching programs and automating tasks.

6. Set-Location: Navigate Through Directories

When working with files, you may need to switch between directories. The Set-Location cmdlet allows you to change the current directory:

Set-Location C:\Users

This helps you move between folders efficiently.

7. Get-Location: Check Your Current Directory

If you need to check which directory you’re currently in, use:

Get-Location

This command is handy when working with multiple folders in PowerShell.

8. Get-ChildItem: List Files and Folders

To display files and folders in a directory, use Get-ChildItem:

Get-ChildItem C:\Windows

This is useful for exploring directories without using the File Explorer.

9. New-Item: Create New Files and Folders

You can create a new file with:

New-Item -ItemType File -Name "example.txt"

To create a new folder:

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Name "NewFolder"

This command simplifies file and folder creation.

10. Remove-Item: Delete Files and Folders

To delete a file permanently, use:

Remove-Item "C:\Users\example.txt"

If you need to delete a folder and all its contents:

Remove-Item "C:\Users\OldFolder" -Recurse -Force

Use this command with caution, as deleted files cannot be recovered.

11. Copy-Item: Duplicate Files or Folders

To copy a file to another location, use:

powershellCopyEditCopy-Item "C:\Users\file.txt" -Destination "D:\Backup\"

For copying an entire folder:

powershellCopyEditCopy-Item "C:\Users\Documents" -Destination "D:\Backup\" -Recurse

This command helps with file backups and organization.

12. Move-Item: Move Files or Folders

To move a file to a different folder:

Move-Item "C:\Users\file.txt" -Destination "D:\Documents\"

This command is useful for reorganizing files efficiently.

13. Rename-Item: Change File or Folder Names

To rename a file, use:

Rename-Item "C:\Users\oldname.txt" -NewName "newname.txt"

This is useful for file management tasks.

14. Get-Content: Read File Contents

To view the contents of a text file, use:

Get-Content "C:\Users\example.txt"

This command helps you quickly read files without opening them manually.

15. Set-Content: Overwrite File Contents

To replace the text inside a file:

Set-Content "C:\Users\example.txt" -Value "New content here"

This command is useful for modifying configuration files.

16. Add-Content: Append Data to a File

To add new content to an existing file:

Add-Content "C:\Users\example.txt" -Value "This is a new line."

This is helpful for logging and data recording.

17. Get-Service: Check Windows Services

To see all running services on your system, use:

Get-Service

To check a specific service, such as Windows Update:

Get-Service -Name wuauserv

This helps with Windows service management.

18. Start-Service: Start a Windows Service

To start a service, such as Print Spooler:

Start-Service -Name Spooler

This is useful when manually starting essential system services.

19. Stop-Service: Stop a Windows Service

To stop a running service, such as Windows Update:

Stop-Service -Name wuauserv

This can be helpful when troubleshooting service-related issues.

20. Get-History: View Previously Executed Commands

To see the list of all commands you’ve run in the current session:

Get-History

To rerun a command from history, use:

Invoke-History 5

This is useful for reviewing and repeating past commands.

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Understanding Windows PowerShell

What is Windows PowerShell?

Windows PowerShell is an advanced command-line interface (CLI) and scripting language developed by Microsoft. It is designed to automate tasks and manage system configurations, making it a powerful tool for IT professionals, DevOps engineers, and system administrators. Built on the .NET framework, PowerShell provides a flexible alternative to the traditional Command Prompt, allowing users to perform everything from simple file management to complex automation scripting.

How PowerShell Differs from Command Prompt

Unlike the traditional Command Prompt, which primarily executes batch files and system commands, PowerShell introduces cmdlets—small, built-in functions that interact with Windows components. Cmdlets follow a structured Verb-Noun naming convention, making commands easier to understand and use. For example: Get-Process retrieves a list of active processes.

Stop-Process terminates a specific process.

This structured approach makes PowerShell more intuitive and consistent compared to Command Prompt commands.

Key Features of PowerShell

Cmdlets for System Administration: PowerShell includes a vast collection of cmdlets that enable users to manage files, services, processes, and system settings efficiently.

Pipelining for Complex Operations: PowerShell allows pipelining, which means the output of one cmdlet can be used as the input for another. This feature lets users chain multiple commands together for efficient task execution.

Scripting Capabilities for Automation: PowerShell supports scripting, enabling users to write scripts for automation of repetitive tasks like: System administration, Software deployment, Network configuration

PowerShell Modules for Extended Functionality: PowerShell supports modules, which are collections of cmdlets designed for specific administrative tasks. These modules expand PowerShell’s capabilities by providing additional tools for managing Windows environments.

Why Learn PowerShell?

Since PowerShell is an integral part of Windows, mastering its fundamental commands is essential for efficient system management. Whether you’re an IT professional or a beginner, learning PowerShell 20 basic commands will help you navigate and control your system effectively.

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Final Thoughts

These PowerShell basic commands form the foundation for automating tasks, managing files, and handling system administration. By understanding these PowerShell fundamentals, you can enhance your efficiency and streamline workflows. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, mastering these PowerShell commands for beginners will help you become more proficient in Windows system management.

If you want to dive deeper, explore the Microsoft PowerShell documentation and practice scripting for advanced automation tasks.

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Also read:

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Monitor CPU Temperature Using PowerShell: Find out how to check your CPU temperature with a simple PowerShell command, eliminating the need for third-party software.

Master PowerShell Troubleshooting Commands: Explore 10 essential PowerShell commands to simplify system diagnostics and streamline troubleshooting processes

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