Cmder vs PowerShell

Struggling to choose between Cmder and PowerShell? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Cmder is a Development solution with tags like console, emulator, bash, git, portable, developers.

It boasts features such as Multiple tabs and splits, Git integration, Unix-style shell (bash, zsh, etc.), SSH client, Vim and Emacs editors, Customizable themes and shortcuts and pros including Lightweight and fast, Portable - runs directly from a USB drive, Bundles useful command line tools, More flexible than Windows Command Prompt, Highly customizable.

On the other hand, PowerShell is a Network & Admin product tagged with automation, scripting, shell, commandline, crossplatform, windows, configuration-management.

Its standout features include PowerShell scripting language, Command line shell and scripting environment, Remoting for executing commands on remote systems, Desired State Configuration for configuring systems, Providers for accessing data stores like registry and file system, Cmdlets for performing administrative tasks, and it shines with pros like Built-in to Windows so no installation required, Very powerful for automating administrative tasks, Large set of cmdlets available for functionality, Cross-platform support including Linux and macOS, Desired State Configuration provides easy system configuration, Can be used for DevOps and infrastructure automation.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Cmder

Cmder

Cmder is a Windows console emulator that provides Linux/Unix-like terminal functionality. It bundles different command line tools like bash, Git, etc. into one portable executable. Cmder aims to be a user-friendly console emulator for developers on Windows.

Categories:
console emulator bash git portable developers

Cmder Features

  1. Multiple tabs and splits
  2. Git integration
  3. Unix-style shell (bash, zsh, etc.)
  4. SSH client
  5. Vim and Emacs editors
  6. Customizable themes and shortcuts

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Lightweight and fast

Portable - runs directly from a USB drive

Bundles useful command line tools

More flexible than Windows Command Prompt

Highly customizable

Cons

Less fully-featured than native Linux terminal

Some Unix tools may not work perfectly on Windows

Steep learning curve for new users


PowerShell

PowerShell

PowerShell is a cross-platform task automation and configuration management framework, consisting of a command-line shell and scripting language. It allows administrators to control and automate administration tasks on Windows and other operating systems.

Categories:
automation scripting shell commandline crossplatform windows configuration-management

PowerShell Features

  1. PowerShell scripting language
  2. Command line shell and scripting environment
  3. Remoting for executing commands on remote systems
  4. Desired State Configuration for configuring systems
  5. Providers for accessing data stores like registry and file system
  6. Cmdlets for performing administrative tasks

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Built-in to Windows so no installation required

Very powerful for automating administrative tasks

Large set of cmdlets available for functionality

Cross-platform support including Linux and macOS

Desired State Configuration provides easy system configuration

Can be used for DevOps and infrastructure automation

Cons

Steep learning curve for scripting language

Complex object pipeline can be hard to understand

Commands use verbose naming conventions

Limited usage outside of Windows environments

Not as many resources for learning as other scripting languages