When you launch a new PowerShell window, you are basically executing a small PowerShell.exe
executable, which provides a command-line interface and issues instructions on how to make the functionality
in the PowerShell Engine available.
Those instructions are written in .NET language and are available in the form of commands called cmdlets
(pronounced ‘‘command lets’’). All the cmdlets, when executed, process the instructions and return an
object, not just text.
The following four different command types are available in the PowerShell environment. Don’t panic.
PowerShell understands and performs the different types of functions based on the type of commands
that you execute.
❑ Native commands
❑ PowerShell cmdlets
❑ Shell functions
❑ Script commands
The following sections take a closer look at the differences between the different command types in
PowerShell and how each can be used.
executable, which provides a command-line interface and issues instructions on how to make the functionality
in the PowerShell Engine available.
Those instructions are written in .NET language and are available in the form of commands called cmdlets
(pronounced ‘‘command lets’’). All the cmdlets, when executed, process the instructions and return an
object, not just text.
The following four different command types are available in the PowerShell environment. Don’t panic.
PowerShell understands and performs the different types of functions based on the type of commands
that you execute.
❑ Native commands
❑ PowerShell cmdlets
❑ Shell functions
❑ Script commands
The following sections take a closer look at the differences between the different command types in
PowerShell and how each can be used.