Any recommendations on a good IDE or editor for PowerShell.

PowerShell Help
1

Hey.

I’m new to the PowerShell game… I’m getting there and having fun over the past few weeks. However after spending the last few years using Eclipse I’m finding the Windows Powershell ISE a little bit clunky.

I’ve searched the net looking but given I’m part of this forum I thought I’d put it out there. Has anyone got any recommendations on a good IDE or editor for PowerShell?

I’ve spotted the two following as popular.

1: VS code
2: Windows Powershell ISE on steroids.

Any others (That don’t cost the earth) ?

Thanks in advance.

Matt.

2

VS Code with the PowerShell plugin is the official answer, and it’s a good one.

3

I’ll mention that PowerShell Studio is well written and full featured. It does cost, but I’m accustomed to paying for pro tools for my trade. It’s far less than a mortgage payment so I wouldn’t classify it as costing the earth.

4

I completely agree with Don here.

If you are just getting started, VSCode, especially the last few updates is a really solid option for PowerShell, and a host of other things. It lacks a few things from the ISE, such as Cmdlet search (I’ve never used this feature). I use VSCode every day for PowerShell.

PowerShell Studio from Sapien is a much closer solution to eclipse and other full fledged IDE’s, and while it does come at a cost, it packs a lot of features that VSCode and the ISE don’t have. Depending on your needs down the track, it could definitely be worth the money.

5

Hey thanks Don… I have taken steroids for the day… Wow what a difference… I will take your advise and look at VS Code with the PowerShell plugin shortly.

Thanks again for your help bro. I really appreciate it :wink:

6

Ok cool… Thanks Liam

7

Hey thanks Don… See my reply below.

8

I actually use emacs with a powershell color mode. I’ve been using emacs for years and know it well.

9

I know it’s a matter of preference but, to me, installing a behemoth like VisualStudio just for PowerShell it’s a little too much, I would go for “smaller” solutions.

10

Ivan, to be clear, VS Code is not Visual Studio, and it’s not a behemoth. It’s actually a very small, very simplified environment that’s a distinct product from its full-sized cousin. It IS the “smaller solution” that folks like yourself (and me, because I feel the same as you about Visual Studio) have asked for pretty much forever.

11

Yes, I realize that now, I thought it was the full package.

12

just out of interest what do you find clunky around ISE?

i wrote most of my stuff in this and then transfer to Sapien if i need to produce a GUI, good thing around sapien is it can save allot of time as it produces most of the code for you.