PowerShell
A cross-platform shell and scripting language for automation, built for structured data and APIs.
- Stars
- 56k
- Forks
- 8.5k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- C#
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- CLI
What it is
PowerShell is a command-line shell, scripting language, and automation framework that runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is designed to work with structured data such as JSON, CSV, and XML, as well as REST APIs and object models, rather than only plain text. People use it to automate tasks and manage system configuration.
- Automate repetitive system or configuration tasks with scripts
- Query a REST API and work with the returned structured data as objects
- Process CSV or JSON files from the command line
- Write cmdlets in C# using the PowerShell SDK, per the README's developer section
Great for
- Developers who script or automate tasks across Windows, Linux, and macOS
- Administrators who work with JSON, CSV, XML, or REST APIs from the command line
- People moving from Windows PowerShell 5.1 who want the newer cross-platform version (PowerShell 7+)
Not ideal for
- People who only need Windows PowerShell 5.1 features: the README says changes here are not ported back to 5.1, so this repo covers PowerShell 7.x and higher
- Users looking for a minimal, lightweight shell: the README describes it as a full automation tool and framework, which is a larger thing to learn
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
Clone the source repository
git clone https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell.git - 2
Run it
- Install PowerShell using the instructions linked from the README (Microsoft Learn: Installing PowerShell)
- Open a PowerShell session from your terminal
- Run a simple command to confirm it works
- Read the getting started documentation linked in the README
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the getting started docs linked from the README to learn the basics
- Keep the same install method when upgrading, as the README recommends
- Join the community channels (Discord, Slack, IRC) listed in the README for help
- Review the telemetry documentation linked in the README if you want to know what data is collected
Downloads
Strengths
- Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS under the MIT license
- Works with structured data (JSON, CSV, XML) and object models, according to the README
- Large community with Discord, IRC, Slack, and GitHub Discussions channels
Trade-offs
- The README does not describe install steps in detail; it points to external Microsoft Learn pages for installation
- Windows PowerShell 5.1 issues must go through a different channel (Feedback Hub), which may confuse new users
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerShell (this) | 56k | CLI | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who script or automate tasks across Windows, Linux, and macOS |
| nushell | 40.8k | Dev tool | intermediate | 5 days ago | Developers who work a lot in the terminal and want to query files, processes, or config files as data |
| cmder | 27k | App | beginner | 10 days ago | Windows users who want a nicer, tabbed command-line window |
| inshellisense | 10.8k | Dev tool | beginner | 7 days ago | Developers who spend a lot of time in the terminal and want suggestions for unfamiliar command options |
| gping | 12.7k | CLI | beginner | 1 months ago | Engineers who want to watch network latency visually while troubleshooting |
| nativefier | 35.2k | CLI | beginner | 3.1 years ago | People who want a site like WhatsApp Web or Gmail in its own window |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.