Microsoft will “renew” efforts to completely replace its Window PowerShell command-line shell and scripting language platform following lacklustre uptake.
Microsoft promised to revamp Windows PowerShell 5.1 with its next release. Uptake of PowerShell for Windows hasn’t grown as significantly as that of PowerShell Core – released to great fanfare for by the company for Linux and macOS, and even getting AWS Lambda support.
According to Microsoft: “We believe that this could be occurring because existing Windows PowerShell users have existing automation that is incompatible with PowerShell Core because of unsupported modules, assemblies, and APIs,” the company blogged here.
“These folks are unable to take advantage of PowerShell Core’s new features, increased performance, and bug fixes. To address this, we are renewing our efforts towards a full replacement of Windows PowerShell 5.1 with our next release.”
Microsoft promised a “very high level” of compatibility with Windows PowerShell modules, with PowersShell and PowerShell Core users taking advantage of the same features and the ability to automate across Windows, Linux, and macOS. A preview of new PowerShell Core is, meanwhile, coming next month – but don’t get too excited.
In what seems like a case of classic Microsoft overdoing the branding, what should have been PowerShell Core 6.3 will be version 7.0 and it will drop the “Core” suffix. The reason? “Simplicity,” Microsoft said.
Also, PowerShell 7 will also “align more closely” with Microsoft’s .NET Core support lifecycle, meaning both Long Term Servicing and non LTS releases.
No date was given for either. Microsoft said it would “eventually” ship PowersShell 7 as a “side-by-side feature” with Windows PowersShell 5.1.