PowerShell

Microsoft's cross-platform shell and scripting language built on .NET objects.

Verified facts: 4 of 4
Alternatives ranked: 4
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About PowerShell

PowerShell is a command-line shell, scripting language and configuration management framework from Microsoft. Unlike text-based shells, its commands, called cmdlets, pass .NET objects through the pipeline, so you can filter and sort by properties rather than parsing text. It is the main automation tool for Windows administration, Microsoft 365, Azure and Active Directory, with thousands of modules in the PowerShell Gallery, and it is also widely used in CI/CD pipelines. PowerShell 7 is open source under the MIT licence and runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, alongside the older Windows PowerShell 5.1 that still ships with Windows. Features include tab completion, command history with predictions, remoting over WinRM or SSH and Desired State Configuration. Its verbose verb-noun commands take getting used to for Unix users, startup is slower than traditional shells, and outside Microsoft-heavy environments it is less common.

Best for: Admins automating Windows, Azure and Microsoft 365 or scripting across platforms.

What works

Object pipelines avoid fragile text parsing
Huge module ecosystem for Microsoft services
Runs on Windows, Linux and macOS

Why people leave

Verbose commands feel foreign to Unix users
Slower startup than bash or zsh
Two versions (5.1 and 7) can confuse

Top PowerShell alternatives

See all 4

1
Nushell
Structured-data shell with a lighter, more modern feel.
66.5
2
Bash
Standard shell on Linux servers and in most CI images.
62.6
3
xonsh
Cross-platform shell that uses Python as its scripting language.
59.6
4
fish
Friendly interactive shell for Unix-style work.
57.2

Why people left PowerShell

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PowerShell: common questions

Is PowerShell free?

Yes. PowerShell is free, open-source software.

Is PowerShell open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at PowerShell/PowerShell.

What platforms does PowerShell run on?

PowerShell is available for Windows, Linux and macOS.

What are the best alternatives to PowerShell?

The highest-ranked PowerShell alternatives right now are Nushell, Bash and xonsh. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 PowerShell alternatives

PowerShell facts

4 of 4 verified

License: MIT; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: MIT (MIT License).”
Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS; Checked Oct 25, 2026learn.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab); “PowerShell runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS.”
Pipeline: .NET objects; Checked Oct 25, 2026learn.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab); “Unlike most shells that only accept and return text, PowerShell accepts and returns .NET objects.”
Scope: Shell, scripting language, config management; Checked Oct 25, 2026learn.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab); “made up of a command-line shell, a scripting language, and a configuration management framework.”