Chapter 2. Learning PowerShell

This chapter covers

  • Installing and configuring PowerShell
  • Self-discovery
  • Language features
  • Scripts

We’ll have created an automation toolkit by the time we reach the end of the book. The core of that toolkit is PowerShell itself. We’ve looked at the fundamentals of PowerShell; now we learn how to use it. Think of it as unpacking a shiny new tool, putting the bits together, and learning how to use it.

When I downloaded the first beta of PowerShell, I remember installing it, clicking the icon to start it, then having one of those “What on Earth is this?” moments. I usually mention this when giving talks about PowerShell, and often someone comes up to me and says she had the same problem. I spent a lot of time ...

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