PS PowerShell

What it is for

Use it for .NET and Git commands in our Windows examples. It can run inside Windows Terminal or VS Code; the surrounding window is not the shell.

Install it

1. Windows PowerShell is included with Windows. PowerShell 7 is a separate installation; use Microsoft’s official installation guide if a lesson specifically needs it. Our basic dotnet and Git commands work in either.

Official setup instructions ↗

Open it

1. Open Start, type PowerShell and open the app. A prompt is the line waiting for your input, often beginning PS.
2. In Windows Terminal, use the arrow beside the new-tab button and choose PowerShell or Windows PowerShell.

Check it is installed — then verify

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

Try one small thing

Get-Location

If something looks different

1. A command is not recognised: check that its tool is installed, then close and reopen this shell so it sees the updated PATH.
2. A command copied from Command Prompt may use different syntax. Use the shell named above the example.
3. Do not change execution policy just to silence an error; check the lesson and the script’s source first.

Tools that work alongside it

PowerShell or Command Prompt?

Both read commands, but their languages differ. Match the shell named above the example. A command that works in one is not automatically valid in the other.

Windows Terminal or PowerShell?

Terminal is the window and tabs. PowerShell is one shell running inside a tab. Check the tab’s profile before entering commands.

Lessons using this tool

Some use it only for optional local practice. Each lesson explains what you actually need.

Official help

• Microsoft: install PowerShell ↗

Guide reviewed 2026-09-09. Menu labels can differ between versions.