The Windows PowerShell Software Development Kit (SDK) is written for command developers who require reference information about the APIs provided by Windows PowerShell. Command developers use Windows PowerShell to create both commands and providers that extend the tasks that can be performed by Windows PowerShell.

In addition to the Windows PowerShell SDK, the following resources provide more information.

Windows PowerShell Getting Started Guide

Provides an introduction to Windows PowerShell: the language, the cmdlets, the providers, and the use of objects.

Writing a Windows PowerShell Module

Provides information and examples for administrators, script developers, and cmdlet developers who need to package and distribute their Windows PowerShell solutions using Windows PowerShell modules.

Writing a Windows PowerShell Cmdlet

Provides information and code examples for program managers who are designing cmdlets and for developers who are implementing cmdlet code.

Windows PowerShell Team Blog

The best resource for learning from and collaborating with other Windows PowerShell users. Read the Windows PowerShell Team blog, and then join the Windows PowerShell User Forum (microsoft.public.windows.powershell). Use Windows Live Search to find other Windows PowerShell blogs and resources. Then, as you develop your expertise, freely contribute your ideas.

Windows PowerShell TechNet Library

Provides the latest versions of the command-line Help topics.

System.Management.Automation

This namespace is the root namespace for Windows PowerShell. It contains the classes, enumerations, and interfaces required to implement custom cmdlets. In particular, the Cmdlet class is the base class from which all cmdlet classes must be derived. For more information about cmdlets, see.

System.Management.Automation.Provider

This namespace contains the classes, enumerations, and interfaces required to implement a Windows PowerShell provider. In particular, the CmdletProvider class is the base class from which all Windows PowerShell provider classes must be derived.

Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands

This namespace contains the classes for the cmdlets and providers implemented by Windows PowerShell. Similarly, it is recommended that you create a YourName.Commands namespace for those cmdlets that you implement.

System.Management.Automation.Host

This namespace contains the classes, enumerations, and interfaces that the cmdlet uses to define the interaction between the user and Windows PowerShell.

System.Management.Automation.Internal

This namespace contains the base classes used by other namespace classes. For example, the CmdletMetadataAttribute class is the base class for the CmdletAttribute class.

System.Management.Automation.Runspaces

This namespace contains the classes, enumerations, and interfaces used to create a Windows PowerShell runspace. In this context, the Windows PowerShell runspace is the context in which one or more Windows PowerShell pipelines invoke cmdlets. That is, cmdlets work within the context of a Windows PowerShell runspace. For more information about Windows PowerShell runspaces, see Windows PowerShell Runspaces.