From the course: Complete Guide to PowerShell 7

Key features of PowerShell 7 - PowerShell Tutorial

From the course: Complete Guide to PowerShell 7

Key features of PowerShell 7

- [Instructor] So let's look at some of the key features of PowerShell 7. First off, let's remind ourselves about PowerShell 7. It was released in March of 2020 and represents a significant milestone in the evolution of PowerShell. It is a cross-platform tool that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it a versatile tool within all IT environments. PowerShell 7 is built on .NET core 3.1, which provides better performance and stability, and most importantly, it combines the best features of both PowerShell Core and Windows PowerShell offering a unified experience for users. One of the key improvements in PowerShell 7 is enhanced compatibility with Windows PowerShell modules. PowerShell 7 can automatically load and use Windows PowerShell modules through the use of the Windows compatibility module. This means that you no longer have to switch between PowerShell core and Windows PowerShell when using older modules, making integrating PowerShell 7 into existing workflows and processes much easier. PowerShell 7 brings significant performance improvements. Startup times are faster and memory usage has been optimized, which is crucial when running scripts on resource constrained systems. Additionally, pipeline performance has been enhanced, particularly with the new ForEach-Object -Parallel feature that allows commands to be run in parallel, speeding up execution in large scale automation tasks. Error handling has been improved in PowerShell 7 with the introduction of new parameters like dash error review and dash error action. These allow you to customize how the error messages are displayed and handled, making it easier to troubleshoot. The ability to simplify error messages means less cluttered output, providing more relevant information when debugging issues. PowerShell 7 has tighter integration with cloud services, offering native support for managing Azure and AWS environments. This makes it easier to automate and manage cloud resources directly from PowerShell, integration with popular DevOps tools like Terraform and Ansible further enhances powershells utility in cloud-based infrastructure and modern IT workflows. Predictive IntelliSense introduced through the PS readline module is one of the standout features in PowerShell 7. It helps auto complete commands based on your input history and predictions, which improves productivity by reducing typing time and helping prevent common syntax errors. This feature is especially useful for complex scripts, and is integrated by default in PowerShell 7. PowerShell 7 introduces pipeline parallelization with the ForEach-Object -Parallel commandlet, which allows commands to be run in parallel rather than sequentially. This is particularly beneficial when processing large data sets or running automation tasks that involve multiple iterations. By paralyzing execution, you can significantly reduce the time it takes to complete tasks making your scripts more efficient. PowerShell 7 is a unified scripting and automation tool that brings together the best features of PowerShell core and Windows PowerShell. Its cross-platform support makes it an essential tool for both developers and system administrators working in hybrid environments where on-premises infrastructure and cloud resources need to be managed efficiently. PowerShell 7 supports modern IT operations, making it a versatile and powerful tool. In our next video, we'll compare PowerShell to the traditional command line interfaces.

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