SharePoint and PowerShell ? Why Not

PowerShell is Microsoft’s newest command line and scripting tool. Formerly code-named “Monad” PowerShell combines the terseness of a scriptable shell with power of objects , composition and a pipeline that should make any admin or developer take notice. Oh,did I mention COM and .Net integration and some serious extensibility points for the scripter as well as a seasoned .Net developer?

So what does SharePoint have to do with PowerShell? Well nothing and everything! There is no out-of-box PowerShell functionality with SharePoint. PowerShell provides many built in functions, features and providers to access the registry and file systems but no SharePoint-specific functionality. But with access to .Net objects it is a simple process to access and manipulate SharePoint objects as well as create new functionality to create SharePoint-specific functionality.

PowerShell is an incredibly powerful shell hence the PowerShell name and once you understand that PowerShell deals in objects and types more than likely the gears will start clicking and you will find many ways to take advantage of a “scriptable” SharePoint – regardless is you are an Admin, Designer or Developer.

Grab a copy of Microsoft’s PowerShell and check back for future PS and PS/SP posts. Below are a few good community sites get started with PowerShell. If you truly use SharePoint as a dev, design or admin I think you might be amazed.

Links for PowerShell:
MS PowerShell Technology Center
PowerShell Team Blog
Scripting with Windows PowerShell
Jim Truher Blog
The PowerShell Information Center