PowerShell

As explained in Microsoft Azure in Action

The PowerShell scripting language is the programming language for expressing commands, automation scripts, and control logic in PowerShell.

PowerShell combines a command-line tool with a scripting language for managing Azure and Windows. Its cmdlets perform focused operations, while scripts combine cmdlets and ordinary control logic into repeatable automation. section 1.6.3

PowerShell is useful when a single command is not quite enough:

• Create, update, and maintain Azure resources through specialized cmdlets. section 1.6.3
• Batch commands into customized automation scripts. section 1.6.3
• Manage Windows generally while also running on macOS and Linux. section 1.6.3
• Interact with Azure alongside the Portal, CLI, and Azure SDK. section 1.8

Create an Azure virtual network

A small business can connect PowerShell to Azure with Connect-AzAccount, create a resource group with New-AzResourceGroup -Name 'AlpacaRG' -Location 'Australia Southeast', and add a VNet with New-AzVirtualNetwork -Name AlpacaVNet -ResourceGroupName 'AlpacaRG' -Location 'Australia Southeast' -AddressPrefix '10.0.0.0/16'. section 4.1

Figure 1.10 PowerShell console showing 10 Azure cmdlets

View a console example listing ten Azure cmdlets with one command. section 1.6.3

How Microsoft Azure in Action covers it

How deep it goes

Defines cmdlets and scripting, demonstrates VNet creation, and defers setup and connection details.

Examples

Demonstrates Azure cmdlet listing, resource-group creation, Azure login, and virtual-network deployment.

What it assumes

Assumes Azure access and resource-group context, while encouraging beginners to follow examples; defers installation and connection setup.

What you can do after

Operate and configure Azure resources through PowerShell commands and reusable automation scripts.

How it connects

Connects PowerShell with Azure resources, resource groups, virtual networks, the Azure Portal, CLI, and Azure SDK.

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Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition: Write and organize scripts and toolsWindows PowerShell is the Windows-only edition of Microsoft's PowerShell command shell and scripting environment.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches: Fourth Edition, Covers Windows, Linux, and macOSPowerShell 3 is the third major version of the PowerShell command-line shell.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Practical Automation with PowerShell: Effective scripting from the console to the cloudWindows PowerShell is the Windows-only implementation of Microsoft's PowerShell command shell and scripting language, with version 5.1 as its final major release.

Compare how 4 books explain PowerShell →

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• automationuses · Automation is the execution of tasks or processes by machines or software with reduced direct human intervention.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Microsoft Azure in Action. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.