PowerShell Commands

Windows PowerShell cmdlets. They pass objects down the pipeline (|), so you can filter, sort, and pick properties.

Moving around

Get-Location: Shows the current folder (aliases: pwd, gl).
Set-Location: Changes the current folder (aliases: cd, sl, chdir).
Get-ChildItem: Lists the files and folders in a location (aliases: ls, dir, gci).
Test-Path: Checks whether a file or folder exists (True or False).

Get-Content: Shows the lines of a file (aliases: cat, type, gc).
Set-Content: Replaces the contents of a file.
Add-Content: Adds lines to the end of a file.
Out-File: Saves the output of a pipeline to a file (like > ).
New-Item: Creates a new file or folder (alias: ni). Use -ItemType Directory for folders.
mkdir: Creates a folder (shortcut for New-Item -ItemType Directory; alias: md).
Copy-Item: Copies a file or folder (aliases: copy, cp, cpi).
Move-Item: Moves a file or folder (aliases: move, mv, mi).
Rename-Item: Renames a file or folder (aliases: ren, rni).
Remove-Item: Deletes files or folders (aliases: rm, del, erase, rd, rmdir, ri).
Select-String: Finds text in files or piped lines, like grep (alias: sls).

Where-Object: Keeps only the objects that match, e.g. Where-Object { $_.Status -eq 'Running' } (aliases: where, ?).
Sort-Object: Sorts objects by one or more properties (alias: sort). Add -Descending for biggest first.
Select-Object: Picks properties (Select-Object Name, Status) or items (-First 5, -Last 3) (alias: select).
Measure-Object: Counts objects, and can -Sum, -Average, -Maximum, -Minimum a property (alias: measure).
Group-Object: Groups objects by a property and counts each group (alias: group).
ForEach-Object: Runs a script block for each object, e.g. ForEach-Object { $_.Name } (aliases: foreach, %).
Format-Table: Shows objects as a table, optionally with chosen properties (alias: ft).
Format-List: Shows every property of each object as "Name : Value" lines (alias: fl).

Get-Service: Lists services and whether they are running (alias: gsv).
Start-Service: Starts one or more stopped services (alias: sasv).
Stop-Service: Stops one or more running services (alias: spsv).
Restart-Service: Stops and then starts a service.
Set-Service: Changes a service, e.g. -StartupType Automatic|Manual|Disabled.
Get-Process: Lists running programs with their memory and CPU use (aliases: ps, gps).
Stop-Process: Ends a running program by -Name or -Id (aliases: kill, spps).

Test-Connection: The PowerShell version of ping. -Count sets how many; -Quiet just says True/False.
Test-NetConnection: Checks whether a TCP port is open on another computer, e.g. -Port 443.
Resolve-DnsName: The PowerShell version of nslookup.
Get-NetIPAddress: Lists this computer's IP addresses.
ipconfig: Shows the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway. ipconfig /all shows more.
ping: Checks whether another computer answers. ping -n 2 <host> sends 2 pings.
nslookup: Asks the DNS server for the IP address of a name.

Get-EventLog: Reads the System or Application event log, e.g. -LogName System -EntryType Error -Newest 5.
Get-Volume: Shows each disk volume with its size and free space.
Get-Date: Shows the current date and time.
hostname: Shows this computer's name.

Get-Help: Explains a command (aliases: help, man). Try Get-Help Get-Service, or 'help all'.
Get-Command: Lists the commands you can use (alias: gcm). Try Get-Command *-Service.
Get-History: Lists the commands you have typed (aliases: h, history).
Write-Output: Sends text or objects down the pipeline (aliases: echo, write).
Clear-Host: Clears the screen (aliases: cls, clear).

From localhostmonkey.com/learn/cheat-sheets/powershell/