Line comment

#

# This is a line comment

Block comment

<#

#>

<#
This is a block or multi-line comment
#>

Statement separator

;

Get-Command Get-Process; Get-Command Get-Help

Call operator

&

& ‘Get-Process’   # Invoke the string as a command
& { Get-Process –Id $PID }    # Invoke the script block

Dot-source operator

.

. C:\script.ps1    # Execute the script in the current scope (instead of its own scope)

Equal to

-eq

1 –eq 1    # Returns $true
1 –eq 2    # Returns $false

Not equal to

-ne

1 –ne 2    # Returns $true
1 –ne 1    # Returns $false

And

-and

$true –and $true    # Returns $true
$true –and $false    # Returns $false
$false –and $false    # Returns $false

Or

-or

$true –or $true    # Returns $true
$true –or $false   # Returns $true
$false –or $false  # Returns $false

Addition and concatenation

+

1 + 1            # Equals 2
“one” + “one”    # Equals oneone

Subexpression operator

$( )

“Culture is $($host.CurrentCulture)”
“Culture is $(Get-Culture)”

Assign to null

$null = Expression

$null = Get-Command

Cast to void

[Void](Expression)

[Void](Get-Command)

Pipe to Out-Null

Expression | Out-Null

Get-Command | Out-Null

Redirect to null

Expression > $null

Get-Command > $null

Using the array operator

@()

$array = @()    # Empty array
$array = @(1, 2, 3, 4)

Implicit array

Value1, Value2, Value3

$array = 1, 2, 3, 4
$array = “one”, “two”, “three”, “four”

Using the hashtable operator

@{}

$hashtable = @{}    # Empty hashtable
$hashtable = @{Key1 = “Value1”}
$hashtable = @{Key1 = “Value1”; Key2 = “Value2”}

Expanding string

“ “

“Value”
$greeting = “Hello”; “$greeting World”   # Expands variable

Expanding here-string

@”

“@

$one = ‘One’
@”
Must be opened on its own line.
This string will expand variables like $var.
Can contain other quotes like “ and ‘.
Must be closed on its own line with no preceding white space.
“@

Non-expanding string

‘ ‘

‘Value’
‘$greeting World’    # Does not expand variable

Non-expanding here-string

@’

‘@

@’
Must be opened on its own line.
This string will not expand variables like $var.
Can contain other quotes like “ and ‘.
Must be closed on its own line with no preceding white space.
‘@

Quotes in strings

“ `” “

“ ““ “

‘ `’ ‘

‘ ‘‘ ‘

“Double-quotes may be escaped with tick like `”.”
“Or double-quotes may be escaped with another quote ““.”
‘Single-quotes may be escaped with tick like `’.’
‘Or single-quotes may be escaped with another quote like ‘‘.’

Errors

$Error

$Error[0]    # The last error

Formats the enumeration limit. Dictates the number of elements displayed for objects with properties based on arrays.

The default is 4.

$FormatEnumerationLimit

$object = [PSCustomObject]@{
Array = @(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
}
$object    # Shows 1, 2, 3, and 4
$formatenumerationlimit = 1
$object    # Shows 1

Holds data of the current PowerShell host.

$Host

$host
$host.UI.RawUI.WindowTitle

The matches found when using the -match operator.

$Matches

‘text’ –match ‘.*’
$matches

The output field separator.

The default is a single space.

Dictates how arrays are joined when included in an expandable string.

$OFS

$arr = 1, 2, 3, 4
“Joined based on OFS: $arr”
$ofs = ‘, ‘
“Joined based on OFS: $arr”

Current PowerShell process ID.

$PID

Get-Process –Id $PID

Holds the path to each of the profile files.

$PROFILE

$profile.AllUsersAllHosts
$profile.AllUsersCurrentHost
$profile.CurrentUserAllHosts
$profile.CurrentUserCurrentHost

PowerShell version information.

$PSVersionTable

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

Present working directory.

$PWD

$PWD.Path

ise

ise <file>

Opens PowerShell ISE.

Opens a file with ISE if a filename is given.

code

code <file or folder>

If Visual Studio Code is installed (and in %PATH%).

Opens the VS Code.

Opens a file or folder with the VS Code.

Get-History

history

Shows command history for the current session.

<Text><Tab>

Autocompletes in context. Tab can be used to complete command names, parameter names, and some parameter values.

#<Text><Tab>

Autocompletes against history (beginning of the line). Typing #get- and repeatedly pressing Tab will cycle through all commands containing Get- from your history.

ii

ii is an alias for the invoke-item. Opens the current directory in Explorer.

start iexplore

start is an alias for the start-process. Opens Internet Explorer.

start <name> -verb runas

Runs a process as administrator.