Display information about Windows PowerShell cmdlets and concepts.
Syntax
Get-Help [[-name] string] [-component string[]]
[-functionality string[]]
[-role string[]] [-category string[]]
[ {-full | -detailed | -examples | -parameter string}]
[-Online] [-ShowWindow] [-Path string] [CommonParameters ]
Key
-Name
Request help about string
A cmdlet name, topic, alias, script or function name. Wildcards are permitted.
e.g. -name Get-Member, -name "About_Object", -name "ls"
The "-Name" is optional.
-Category
Display help for items in the specified category.
Valid values: Alias, Cmdlet, Provider, General, FAQ, Glossary, HelpFile, ScriptCommand, Function
Filter, ExternalScript, All, DefaultHelp, Workflow, DscResource, Class, Configuration
Conceptual topics are in the HelpFile category.
-Component
Display a list of cmdlets with the specified component value,
such as "Exchange."
-Detailed
Display additional information about a cmdlet, including descriptions of
the parameters and examples of using the cmdlet.
This parameter has no effect on displays of conceptual ("About_") help.
-Examples
Display examples of using the cmdlet.
To display only the examples, type
"(get-help cmdlet-name).examples".
-Full
Display the entire help file for a cmdlet, including
technical information about the parameters.
This parameter has no effect on displays of
conceptual ("About_") help.
-Functionality
Display help for cmdlets with the specified functionality.
Wildcards are permitted.
-Online
Display the online version of a help topic in the default Internet browser.
This parameter is valid only for cmdlet, function, and script help topics.
see Help about_Comment_Based_Help
-Parameter
Display a detailed description of the specified parameter.
These descriptions are included in the Full view of help.
Wildcards are permitted.
-Path string
Get help that explains how the cmdlet works in the specified provider path.
Enter a Windows PowerShell provider path.
This parameter is effective only for help about a provider cmdlet and only when
the provider includes a custom version of the provider cmdlet help topic.
Go to the provider path location and enter Get-Help or, from any path location,
use Get-Help -Path. For more information, see about_Providers.
-Role String
Display help customized for the specified user role.
The role that the user plays in an organization.
This parameter has no effect for the core cmdlets.
-ShowWindow
Display the help text in a popup GUI window. (PowerShell 3.0+)
Standard Aliases for Get-Help: help (but there is a long standing bug which means the alias is often missing).
List of all help files in the PowerShell help system:
PS C:\> Get-Help *
Display detailed help for the Get-Childitem cmdlet by specifying one of its aliases, ls :
PS C:\> Get-Help ls -detailed
Display descriptions of the parameters of the Get-Childitem cmdlet that begin with "f" (filter and force):
PS C:\> Get-Help Get-ChildItem -parameter f*
To see descriptions of all parameters, type "get-help Get-ChildItem parameter*"
Display only the syntax of the write-object cmdlet:
PS C:\> (Get-Help write-object).syntax
Syntax is one of many properties of help objects; others are: description, details, examples, and parameters.
To find all properties and methods of an object, type "Get-Help cmdlet-name | Get-Member"
for example:
PS C:\> Get-Help Start-Service | Get-Member
"Evangelise wherever you go, and, if necessary, use words" ~ St Francis of Assisi
Update-Help - Download and install the newest help files on your computer.
Get-Command - Retrieve basic information about a command.
Show-Command - Create PowerShell commands in a graphical command window.
Get-Alias - Return alias names for Cmdlets.
Get-Member - Enumerate the properties of an object.
Equivalent bash command: man - Display helpful information about commands.