Is It Worth Upgrading to PowerShell 7?
Windows PowerShell is an integral part of the Windows operating system. It is a command-line shell and a scripting language used to automate time-consuming repetitive tasks, make custom management tools, and build, test, and deploy solutions for various other problems.
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What Is PowerShell 7?
PowerShell 7 is the latest LTS release version of PowerShell. This version of PowerShell is developed through the newer .NET Core framework, which allows several major updates that Windows power users will find useful.
PowerShell 7 is registered and licensed under the MIT License. It is nowopen-source software, where people can freely view, modify, and distribute their own copy of the software’s source code. Developers can also contribute to the official PowerShell releases by joiningPowerShell’s official GitHub page.
With its community support, this version of PowerShell is now cross-platform! Meaning it can now be installed and used on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Here is a list of the supported x64 operating system:
Alpine Linux 3.8+ PowerShell 7 is also supported on various ARM32 and ARM64 distros of Debian, Ubuntu, and ARM64 Alpine Linux. For those interested, there are also unsupported packages for Arch and Kali Linux.
What Are the New Features Included in PowerShell 7?
Aside from being cross-platform and open-sourced, PowerShell 7 has many other new features that further improve productivity. Here are a few of the more notable ones:
1. Improved Backwards Compatibility
With the difference in framework, Windows PowerShell and PowerShell versions using the .NET Core framework will have incompatibilities. To make it easier for people to transition, PowerShell 7 now integrates the WindowsCompatibility module. This module is designed to allow Windows PowerShell modules and manypopular CMD commandsto work in PowerShell 7.
2. Pipeline Parallelization With ForEach-Object
PowerShell 7 now has a Parallel parameter. In Windows PowerShell, each piped object using the ForEach-Object cmdlet will be executed one at a time. But with the new Parallel parameter, all piped objects are now executed simultaneously. This drastically improves performance which can save you time.
3. Ternary Operators
Windows PowerShell conditionals are done through if-else statements. PowerShell 7 makes this even simpler by introducing ternary operators, which are basically simplified versions of the if-else statements by using “?” and “:” in the syntax. This feature allows for a faster and cleaner scripting experience.
4. Pipeline Chain Operators
Pipeline operators are an important feature of Windows PowerShell. It allows you to make complex expressions by taking the output of a cmdlet and using it on another cmdlet. This, however, is limited as Windows PowerShell cannot process conditional expressions using regular pipeline operators.
PowerShell 7 fixes this problem by introducing pipeline chain operators, which are “&&” and “||”. This new pipeline operator allows PowerShell to execute commands with conditional expressions.
Operator && is used to execute the right-hand pipeline command only if the command before the operator is successful. While operator || will only execute the right-hand pipeline command if the command before the operator fails.
Why Isn’t PowerShell 7 the Default on Windows?
PowerShell 7 is an open-sourced cross-platform software that provides features that can drastically improve performance and scripting speed. So why doesn’t Microsoft make it the default PowerShell in Windows?
The current PowerShell that comes pre-installed with newer Windows systems is PowerShell 5.1. This is the last PowerShell version that uses the .NET framework. Although it is true that its succeeding versions provide better features, Windows PowerShell still has one advantage that the newer PowerShell doesn’t—complete backward compatibility.
The first PowerShell was released on November 14, 2006. This was when Windows Vista and XP were still the latest Windows OS. According toresearch from enlyft, the United States alone has over 46,000 companies still using Windows XP. These companies simply cannot upgrade to the latest PowerShell as it would cause a ton of backward incompatibility issues even with PowerShell 7’s integrated WindowsCompatibility module.
For huge companies and various critical infrastructures (ATMs, energy suppliers, railways, hospitals, etc.), delaying service for weeks to months just to rebuild, test, and deploy scrips that already worked with PowerShell 5.1 is simply not an option. Never mind all the bugs that may come out during actual operating hours.
Since PowerShell 5.1 is the latest PowerShell built on the.NET framework, it is guaranteed to work with all preceding versions of PowerShell, even the one released in 2006.
Should You Upgrade to PowerShell 7?
PowerShell 7 delivers many useful updates that make command line interfacing and scripting easier, faster, and more convenient with its cross-platform support. In contrast, Windows PowerShell provides complete backward compatibility to all legacy PowerShell before PowerShell 6. So, should you keep using Windows PowerShell or upgrade to the newer PowerShell 7?
The good thing about PowerShell 7 is that it was designed to coexist with Windows PowerShell 5.1. Aside from the integrated WindowsCompatibility module, PowerShell 7 also provides a separate installation path, executable name, PSModulePath, and event logs to ensure it doesn’t interfere with the already installed Windows PowerShell.
So, for the large majority of people wanting to try the new features of PowerShell 7, they can certainly do so while keeping their default Windows PowerShell. If you are curious if the newer PowerShell is for you, then you should definitely try out the newer PowerShell.
Although PowerShell 7 does provide good backward compatibility, there will always be some discrepancies due to their differences in the framework. If you work at a company or organization that heavily relies on custom tools and programs made from Windows PowerShell, then migrating the company system to PowerShell 7 might not be a good idea.
PowerShell 7 provided lots of updates but also dropped quite a few legacy modules and cmdlets. If you’re a person that’s already happy with the default PowerShell, then there’s really no reason to migrate, especially if you don’t have time to read the documentation.
PowerShell 7 Makes Scripting Faster
PowerShell 7 is one of the newest stable versions of PowerShell with Long Term Support (LTS). It provides a faster and easier way to use PowerShell, even if using other operating systems like macOS or Linux. Although it may take a bit of time to read its documentation, you’ll ultimately save more time once you become proficient with the new updates.
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