Back in the day, booting the then-cutting-edge IBM 8086 from the floppy brought you to a green text screen with a cursor blinking at the familiar C:\> prompt. Hacking boot.ini and config.sys to get my games to run was my first introduction to programming.
Eventually that C:\> got replaced with a pretty GUI and boot from hard disk. That command prompt (CMD) still lived on for decades. Only recently did CMD get an upgrade, or replacement, with PowerShell, the shell application Microsoft introduced with Windows 7.
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CMD served us well for a good long time, but PowerShell is like going straight from steam engines to autonomous battery powered cars.
Windows Command Prompt
Windows Command Prompt – also known as CMD – is the original shell for the Microsoft DOS operating system. CMD was the default shell until Windows 10 build 14791 when Microsoft made PowerShell the default option. CMD is one of the last remnants of the original MS-DOS operating system that Microsoft replaced
Windows PowerShell
Windows PowerShell is the new Microsoft shell that combines the old CMD functionality with a new scripting/cmdlet instruction set with built-in system administration functionality. PowerShell cmdlets allow users and administrators to automate complicated tasks with reusable scripts. System administrators save significant time by automating administration tasks with PowerShell.
PowerShell vs. CMD
PowerShell vs. CMD is like comparing apples to kumquats. They are completely different, despite the illusion that the ‘dir’ command works the same way in both interfaces.
PowerShell uses cmdlets, which are self-contained programming objects that expose the underlying administration options inside of Windows. Before PowerShell, sysadmins navigated the GUI to find these options, and there was no way to reuse the workflow of clicking through the menus to change options on a large scale.
PowerShell uses pipes to chain together cmdlets and share input/output data the same way as other shells, like bash in linux. Pipes allow users to create complex scripts that pass parameters and data from one cmdlet to another. Users can create reusable scripts to automate or make mass changes with variable data – a list of servers, for example.
One of the (many) neat functions of PowerShell is the ability to create aliases for different cmdlets. Aliases allow a user to configure their own names for different cmdlets or scripts, which makes it more straightforward for a user to switch back and forth between different shells: ‘ls’ is a linux bash command that displays directory objects, like the ‘dir’ command. In PowerShell, both ‘ls’ and ‘dir’ are an alias for the cmdlet ‘Get-ChildItem.’
When to Use PowerShell
For systems administrators and other IT functions, PowerShell is the way to go. There isn’t any command left in CMD that isn’t in PowerShell, and PowerShell includes cmdlets for any administration function you could need. Third-party software vendors are extending PowerShell with custom cmdlets, like the NetApp PowerShell Toolkit that manages Data ONTAP.
PowerShell knowledge can be a differentiator for employment or even a job requirement, so it’s a worthwhile skill to invest in.
To get started on your PowerShell journey, check out this tutorial for the basics – and learn how to automate Active Directory tasks with our free PowerShell course by Adam Bertram, a Microsoft PowerShell MVP (pro-tip: use the code ‘blog’).
Michael Buckbee Michael has worked as a sysadmin and software developer for Silicon Valley startups, the US Navy, and everything in between.
FAQs
CMD has no access to libraries and modules, which limits its usefulness in task automation. On the other hand, PowerShell has full access to . NET libraries that support a wide range of functionalities, such as working with databases, web applications and services, and XML.
What is the difference between Windows PowerShell and CMD? ›
Another difference between PowerShell and cmd lies in their usage of them. Cmd is used primarily to execute batch commands and do some primary troubleshooting, whereas PowerShell can be used for executing batch commands as well as administrative purposes. Scripts can also be written in PowerShell to automate the tasks.
What can CMD do that PowerShell cannot? ›
Commands
| PowerShell | cmd |
|---|
| Supports batch commands and cmdlets | Only operates with batch commands |
| Is able to follow a sequence of cmdlets in a script | Can execute commands one after another, not simultaneously |
| Has an ISE | Doesn't have a separate ISE |
| Uses objects to store data | Uses text to store data |
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All this significantly improves the performance and usability of scripts; with PowerShell, you can do everything that CMD allows and much more. CMD is more backward-oriented; Microsoft wants it to be compatible with all old versions. So CMD might receive some updates, but not a lot.
Should I replace command prompt with PowerShell? ›
For the most part the answer is yes, but it does depend on the exact definition of “replacement”. PowerShell was designed to take the functional place of the CMD prompt but it was not designed to run the existing batch files (. cmd or . bat) so it cannot directly replace the cmd prompt as such.
What is PowerShell used for? ›
As a scripting language, PowerShell is commonly used for automating the management of systems. It's also used to build, test, and deploy solutions, often in CI/CD environments. PowerShell is built on the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR). All inputs and outputs are .NET objects.
What is the difference between PowerShell and CMD reddit? ›
PowerShell (and especially the newer PowerShell Core) are basically CMD on steroids. It's more modern, gives you extensive scripting capabilities, and even has aliases for many CMD commands so that you can get started with it quickly.
Why is PowerShell more powerful than CMD? ›
Functionality and Power
PowerShell is not just a command shell but a scripting language too. It allows for more complex operations, automation, and system management tasks compared to the limited scope of Command Prompt.
What are the advantages of using PowerShell? ›
PowerShell has the potential to save IT teams a lot of time and make their day-to-day work easier. As an open-source, cross-platform task automation solution from Microsoft, PowerShell allows IT professionals to configure systems and automate administrative tasks from the command line on Windows, MacOS, or Linux.
Can PowerShell run CMD commands? ›
The executables can be run from any command-line shell, like PowerShell. This includes script files that may require other shells to work properly. For example, if you run a Windows batch script ( . cmd file) in PowerShell, PowerShell runs cmd.exe and passes in the batch file for execution.
cmd is pretty much deprecated in favor of powershell. And both have the best terminal application available on any OS.
Why is PowerShell slower than CMD? ›
By design, cmd uses native Win32 calls and Powershell uses the . Net framework. Due to this (amongst some other causes), Powershell requires (much) more resources (RAM) than cmd so if all you need to start a command line program or list a folder's contents I'd use cmd.
Will Microsoft remove CMD? ›
In short: Cmd is an absolutely vital feature of Windows and, until there's almost nobody running Cmd scripts or tools, Cmd will remain within Windows.
Is Windows PowerShell a command-line? ›
The user interface of PowerShell is a command-line interface; that of Bash is a text command-line interface. PowerShell can be used on any version of Windows from Windows 97 onward.
Should I use Windows Terminal or PowerShell? ›
PowerShell might be a better choice if you need more functionality and flexibility. However, Windows Terminal might be the best option if you have Win10+ installed and want multiple terminals in one window and customize your experience.
What is the Command Prompt for Windows PowerShell? ›
At the Command Prompt
In Windows Command shell, Windows PowerShell, or Windows PowerShell ISE, to start Windows PowerShell, type: PowerShell . You can also use the parameters of the powershell.exe program to customize the session. For more information, see PowerShell.exe Command-Line Help.
How to replace Windows PowerShell with CMD? ›
The normal method for changing the default profile in Windows Terminal is:
- Open Windows Terminal.
- Click the drop-down icon and select Settings.
- In the Startup section, set "Default profile" to "Command Prompt".
- Click "Save" and restart Windows Terminal.
