For decades, the Command Prompt (cmd.exe) was the undisputed command-line interface for Windows. It was simple, reliable, and got the job done. However, with the introduction of PowerShell (pwsh), the game has changed. PowerShell is not just an upgrade; it’s a complete paradigm shift in how we interact with the Windows operating system.

So, which one should you be using? This guide will put PowerShell and CMD in a head-to-head battle, comparing their core philosophies, commands, and scripting capabilities to show why PowerShell is the clear winner for any modern administrative or automation task.

The Core Philosophy: Objects vs. Text

The most fundamental difference between PowerShell and CMD lies in how they handle data.

CMD: Everything is a Text Stream

cmd.exe is a traditional, text-based shell. Every command, from dir to ipconfig, outputs a stream of plain text. To get specific information, you have to manually parse this text using string manipulation, which is often complex and unreliable.

Example: Get the names of all running services in CMD 

@REM This is a complex command that is difficult to read and write
for /f "tokens=2" %%a in ('sc query state^= all ^| find "SERVICE_NAME"') do @echo %%a

PowerShell: Everything is an Object

PowerShell is an object-oriented shell. Cmdlets output structured .NET objects, each with properties and methods. You can access the data you need directly by name, without any text parsing.

Example: Get the names of all running services in PowerShell 

# This is clean, readable, and reliable
Get-Service | Where-Object { $_.Status -eq 'Running' } | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Name
This object-oriented approach makes PowerShell scripts more robust, readable, and powerful.

Round 1: Everyday Commands

Let’s see how common, everyday tasks compare in both shells.

Task Command Prompt (cmd.exe) PowerShell (pwsh)
List Files dir Get-ChildItem (or its aliases ls, dir)
Delete a File del test.txt Remove-Item test.txt
Copy a Directory xcopy folder1 folder2 /E /I Copy-Item -Path folder1 -Destination folder2 -Recurse
Count Files dir /b /a-d | find /c /v "" (Get-ChildItem -File).Count
Get IP Address ipconfig (and manually read the text) Get-NetIPAddress | Where-Object { $_.AddressFamily -eq 'IPv4' -and $_.InterfaceAlias -notlike 'Loopback' }

While the PowerShell commands can be more verbose, they are also more explicit and powerful. The output of Get-NetIPAddress is an object, so you can programmatically access the IP address, interface name, and other properties without parsing text.

Round 2: Scripting and Automation

This is where PowerShell truly leaves CMD in the dust.

Feature Command Prompt (.bat, .cmd) PowerShell (.ps1)
Language Type Basic batch scripting Full-featured, modern scripting language
Logic & Loops Limited (if, for, goto) Advanced control flow (loops, functions, classes, switch)
Error Handling Check %ERRORLEVEL% after each command try/catch/finally blocks, structured error objects
Integration File system, basic system utilities .NET, COM, WMI, CIM, REST APIs, Cloud services (Azure, AWS)

Practical Showdown: Rename all .txt files to .log

In CMD: 

ren *.txt *.log
This works, but what if you want to add a prefix to each file? It becomes much more complex.

In PowerShell: 

# Add a "processed-" prefix and change the extension
Get-ChildItem -Filter "*.txt" | Rename-Item -NewName { "processed-" + $_.BaseName + ".log" } -WhatIf
The PowerShell version is more flexible and readable, and the -WhatIf parameter lets you safely preview the changes before you make them.

Why PowerShell is the Clear Winner

  • Reliability: By working with objects, your scripts are not dependent on text formatting, making them far more reliable.
  • Power: You have the full power of the .NET framework at your fingertips, allowing you to perform complex tasks that are simply impossible in CMD.
  • Readability: PowerShell’s consistent Verb-Noun syntax and named parameters make scripts easier to read and maintain.
  • Modern and Cross-Platform: PowerShell is actively developed by Microsoft and runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS, making it a versatile tool for any environment.

Conclusion

While cmd.exe still has its place for running simple commands or legacy batch files, it is a tool of the past. PowerShell is the undisputed champion of the modern Windows command line.

Its object-oriented pipeline, powerful scripting language, and deep integration with the Windows ecosystem make it an essential tool for any serious system administrator, developer, or power user. If you haven’t already, it’s time to embrace PowerShell and leave the limitations of cmd.exe behind.