The PowerShell help system is the built-in documentation facility for learning about commands, language constructs, and other PowerShell features.
PowerShell’s help system is the first stop when learning commands, language constructs, parameters, and other features. It replaces blind copy-and-paste with a process you can understand and verify. section 27.2section 5.0
Use the help system to:
Learn how a cmdlet or parameter is used before adapting an example. section 27.2
Find About topics for language features and operators. section 5.0
Build tools you can evaluate in your own environment instead of trusting an unknown script. section 27.2
Look up a language feature
For conditional logic, consult the About topic about_if; for comparisons, consult about_comparison_operators. Use those references to understand the feature before applying it in a script. section 5.0
How Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition: Write and organize scripts and tools covers it
How deep it goes
Provides targeted documentation and About topics, while stopping short of complete language coverage.
Examples
Uses about_if and about_comparison_operators as examples of language documentation.
What it assumes
Assumes basic PowerShell scripting needs while teaching language fundamentals through focused documentation topics.
What you can do after
Apply it via PowerShell’s help system to investigate features and develop tools suited to your environment.
How it connects
Connects cmdlets, parameters, PowerShell scripting, About topics, conditional logic, and comparison operators.
Update-Helpused by · Update-Help is a PowerShell cmdlet that downloads and installs updated help files for available commands.
Get-Helpused by · Get-Help is a PowerShell cmdlet that displays documentation and help topics for commands and other PowerShell elements.
PowerShellused by · PowerShell is Microsoft's cross-platform command shell and scripting language for administering computer systems and automating tasks.
commanduses · A command is an instruction or request representing an operation for a system or component to interpret, handle, or execute.
help topichas part · An About topic is a PowerShell help document explaining a language feature, command behavior, background concept, or capability.
Get-Membercontrasts with · Get-Member is a PowerShell cmdlet that displays the members and type information of input objects.
This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition: Write and organize scripts and tools. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.
