PSCmdlet

PSCmdlet is a fundamental concept in Windows PowerShell, representing the base class from which all cmdlets inherit. Cmdlets are the small, single-purpose commands that make up the PowerShell language and are designed to perform specific actions. By inheriting from PSCmdlet, developers can create their own custom cmdlets that integrate seamlessly into the PowerShell environment.

The PSCmdlet class provides a rich set of properties and methods that allow cmdlets to interact with the PowerShell runtime. These include access to the cmdlet's parameters, the ability to write output to the pipeline, handle errors, and access shared PowerShell services. Developers writing cmdlets typically implement specific methods within their custom class that correspond to the lifecycle of a cmdlet's execution, such as BeginProcessing, ProcessRecord, and EndProcessing.

When a cmdlet is executed, PowerShell instantiates the corresponding PSCmdlet-derived class and calls these methods in a defined order. This framework ensures consistency in how cmdlets are invoked and how they interact with the system and other cmdlets. Understanding PSCmdlet is crucial for anyone developing advanced PowerShell functionality or delving deeper into PowerShell's internal workings.