PowerShell Core is an open-source, cross-platform version of the PowerShell command-line shell and scripting language developed by Microsoft. It's designed to manage systems and automate administrative tasks across different operating environments, including:
History and Development
The development of PowerShell Core began with the release of PowerShell v6.0 in January 2018. This was a significant departure from its predecessor, Windows PowerShell, which was tightly coupled with the Windows operating system. Here are some key milestones:
- January 2016: Microsoft announced that PowerShell would become open-source and cross-platform.
- August 2016: The first alpha release of PowerShell Core was made available.
- January 2018: PowerShell Core 6.0 was officially released, introducing compatibility with multiple platforms.
- March 2019: PowerShell 7.0 was released, which included numerous enhancements and improvements over the initial release.
Features
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS, providing a consistent user experience across different environments.
- Open Source: Hosted on GitHub, allowing community contributions and transparency in development.
- PowerShell Language and Cmdlets: Maintains compatibility with the core PowerShell language, cmdlets, and modules, albeit with some platform-specific differences.
- Integration with .NET Core: Utilizes .NET Core, making it lighter and more adaptable for different platforms.
- Security Enhancements: Supports secure remoting and encryption for remote session management.
Context and Usage
PowerShell Core is particularly useful for:
- System administration across heterogeneous environments.
- Automation of repetitive tasks in DevOps scenarios.
- Scripting and executing commands on remote machines.
- Integrating with cloud services, especially those from Microsoft like Azure.
It has become an essential tool for IT professionals who need to manage infrastructure and applications across different operating systems without the need for multiple tools or languages.
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