CMDEXE

cmd.exe, formally the Windows Command Processor, is the command-line interpreter and runtime for Windows. Introduced with Windows NT as a successor to the legacy command.com, it provides a text-based interface for executing commands, running programs, and processing batch files. It operates in a console window or within terminal emulators that host Windows shells.

It supports a set of internal commands such as cd, dir, copy, del, echo, mkdir, rmdir, move, type, and set, as well as redirection, pipes, and environment variable expansion. Batch scripting in cmd.exe uses files with .bat or .cmd extensions and language features like for loops, if statements, goto, and call, along with local scope via setlocal and endlocal. It also supports command extensions that add features beyond the original command set. The PATH environment variable is used to locate external programs, which cmd.exe can launch either directly or through the start command.

Cmd.exe is commonly used by system administrators and for automation tasks, startup scripts, and software installation routines. It can be launched by typing cmd or via Run, Command Prompt shortcuts, or Windows Terminal. It offers command switches such as /c to execute a command and terminate, or /k to continue after the command completes; /v enables delayed expansion (when used with /v:on).

Although PowerShell has largely superseded cmd.exe for complex scripting, cmd.exe remains included in Windows for compatibility with legacy scripts and tools. It runs on both 32- and 64-bit Windows, and is typically located at C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe. It provides a lightweight, traditionally used interface for quick tasks and automation that do not require a specialized scripting environment.

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