PSModulePath environment variable
The PSModulePath environment variable specifies the filesystem directories that PowerShell searches for modules.
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PSModulePath is the PowerShell environment variable containing folders in which PowerShell searches for modules.
- How it is used
- Enables shared custom modules to be discovered and imported by name after installation.
- How deep it goes
- Explains module discovery and a symbolic-link installation workflow, while deferring platform-specific package-manager choices to the environment.
- Examples
- Demonstrates a Git-cloned shared repository linked into a PowerShell module-path folder by an installation script.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure shared module installation by linking a cloned repository into a PSModulePath folder.
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The PSModulePath environment variable contains the directories that PowerShell searches for modules.
- How it is used
- Guides module placement and automatic discovery during script-module development.
- How deep it goes
- Defines path inspection, default locations, and naming requirements, but does not detail environment-variable customization.
- Examples
- Uses $env:PSModulePath -split ";" and contrasts Documents with Program Files module locations.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure it to verify searchable directories and place modules where PowerShell can discover them.
Related concepts
- moduleconfigures · A module is a distinct, bounded software unit that groups related code or functionality and provides an organizational or interaction boundary within a larger system.
- symbolic linkconfigured by · A symbolic link is a filesystem object that refers to another filesystem path rather than containing the referenced file or directory's contents.
- Import-Moduleconfigures · Import-Module is a PowerShell cmdlet that loads a module and makes its exported commands available in the current session.
- PowerShell profileconfigured by · A PowerShell profile is a user-specific startup script that runs when a PowerShell session starts and can configure its environment.
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