PowerShell Advanced Functions: Crafting with the Right Verbs and Nouns

Welcome to the PowerShell scripting blog! If you’ve ever delved into writing advanced functions, you know the importance of naming conventions and syntax. In PowerShell, verbs and nouns play a crucial role in creating commands that are not only functional but also intuitive and standardized. This post will guide you through the verbs and nouns required for advanced functions, providing examples and best practices to elevate your scripting.

The Importance of Verbs and Nouns in PowerShell

PowerShell uses a Verb-Noun naming convention for cmdlets and functions, which helps scripters and users quickly understand what a command does.

Verbs

Verbs are action words that describe what the function does. PowerShell provides a set of approved verbs to standardize the functions.

• Get: Retrieves data.
• Set: Modifies data.
• New: Creates new data.
• Remove: Deletes data.

These are just a few examples. You can get a full list of approved verbs by running Get-Verb in PowerShell.

PS C:\windows\system32> get-verb

Verb        Group
----        -----
Add         Common
Clear       Common
Close       Common
Copy        Common
Enter       Common
Exit        Common
Find        Common
Format      Common
Get         Common
Hide        Common
Join        Common
Lock        Common
Move        Common
New         Common
Open        Common
Optimize    Common
Pop         Common
Push        Common
Redo        Common
Remove      Common
Rename      Common
Reset       Common
Resize      Common
Search      Common
Select      Common
Set         Common
Show        Common
Skip        Common
Split       Common
Step        Common
Switch      Common
Undo        Common
Unlock      Common
Watch       Common
Backup      Data
Checkpoint  Data
Compare     Data
Compress    Data
Convert     Data
ConvertFrom Data
ConvertTo   Data
Dismount    Data
Edit        Data
Expand      Data
Export      Data
Group       Data
Import      Data
Initialize  Data
Limit       Data
Merge       Data
Mount       Data
Out         Data
Publish     Data
Restore     Data
Save        Data
Sync        Data
Unpublish   Data
Update      Data
Approve     Lifecycle
Assert      Lifecycle
Complete    Lifecycle
Confirm     Lifecycle
Deny        Lifecycle
Disable     Lifecycle
Enable      Lifecycle
Install     Lifecycle
Invoke      Lifecycle
Register    Lifecycle
Request     Lifecycle
Restart     Lifecycle
Resume      Lifecycle
Start       Lifecycle
Stop        Lifecycle
Submit      Lifecycle
Suspend     Lifecycle
Uninstall   Lifecycle
Unregister  Lifecycle
Wait        Lifecycle
Debug       Diagnostic
Measure     Diagnostic
Ping        Diagnostic
Repair      Diagnostic
Resolve     Diagnostic
Test        Diagnostic
Trace       Diagnostic
Connect     Communications
Disconnect  Communications
Read        Communications
Receive     Communications
Send        Communications
Write       Communications
Block       Security
Grant       Security
Protect     Security
Revoke      Security
Unblock     Security
Unprotect   Security
Use         Other

Nouns

Nouns describe the entity that the verb is acting upon. It’s a practice to use singular nouns for commands.

• User: Refers to a user entity.
• File: Refers to a file entity.

Examples

Example 1: Creating a Simple Function

function Get-FileList {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param (
        [parameter(Mandatory)]
        [string]$Path
    )

    Get-ChildItem -Path $Path
}

This function uses the Get verb to indicate that it retrieves data, specifically a list of files from a given path.

Example 2: Adding a New User

function New-UserAccount {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param (
        [parameter(Mandatory)]
        [string]$UserName,
        [parameter(Mandatory)]
        [string]$Password
    )

    # Logic to create a new user account
}

This function uses the New verb, indicating it creates a new user account.

Best Practices

1. Use Approved Verbs: Always use verbs from the list provided by Get-Verb to ensure consistency.
2. Singular Nouns: Use singular nouns to make it clear you’re acting on a single entity.
3. Clarity: Choose verbs and nouns that clearly describe the function’s action and the entity it acts upon.
4. Avoid Abbreviations: Do not abbreviate verbs or nouns. It might make the command less intuitive.
5. Consistency: Stick with the same verb for functions that perform similar actions.
6. Documentation: Provide comment-based help to explain what your function does, especially if the function’s name alone isn’t enough.

Series – Functions

• Basic Functions
• Advanced Functions
  • CmdletBinding
  • Parameters
  • Parameter Validation
• PowerShell Verbs for Functions

Conclusion

Understanding and following the standard naming conventions in PowerShell is vital for writing clear, effective, and reusable advanced functions. Using the correct verbs and nouns not only helps in creating a consistent scripting environment but also aids in self-documenting your scripts, making them more accessible to others. Happy scripting!

Remember: Good naming conventions are the hallmark of a skilled PowerShell scripter. They enhance code readability, maintainability, and user experience.

Stay tuned for more PowerShell tips, tricks, and best practices in our upcoming posts!