PowerShell versions (5.1 vs 7+) - Visual Side-by-Side Comparison

Concept Flow - PowerShell versions (5.1 vs 7+)

Start PowerShell

↓

Check Version

↓

Version 5.1

↓

Windows-only

↓

Legacy Cmdlets

↓

End

PowerShell starts, checks its version, then follows different paths for version 5.1 (Windows-only) or 7+ (cross-platform with new features).

Execution Sample

PowerShell

Write-Host "PowerShell Version:" $PSVersionTable.PSVersion
if ($PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major -ge 7) {
  Write-Host "You are using PowerShell 7 or newer."
} else {
  Write-Host "You are using PowerShell 5.1 or older."
}

This script prints the PowerShell version and tells if it's version 7+ or 5.1 or older.

Execution Table

Step	Action	Evaluation	Output
1	Print PowerShell version	$PSVersionTable.PSVersion = 7.2.1	PowerShell Version: 7.2.1
2	Check if Major version >= 7	7 >= 7 is True	You are using PowerShell 7 or newer.
3	End script	-	-

💡 Script ends after printing version info and message based on version check.

Variable Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 2	Final
$PSVersionTable.PSVersion	N/A	7.2.1	7.2.1	7.2.1
$PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major	N/A	7	7	7

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does the script check only the Major version number?

Because the Major version (like 5 or 7) tells us the big difference in features and compatibility, as shown in the execution_table step 2 where we compare Major version to 7.

Can PowerShell 7+ run on non-Windows systems?

Yes, PowerShell 7+ is cross-platform, unlike 5.1 which is Windows-only, as shown in the concept_flow branches.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table step 2, what is the Major version number used in the comparison?

A 5

B 7

C 2

D 1

💡 Hint

Check the 'Evaluation' column in step 2 of the execution_table.

At which step does the script decide which PowerShell version message to print?

A Step 1

B Step 3

C Step 2

D No decision is made

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Action' and 'Output' columns in the execution_table.

If the Major version was 5, what would the output be at step 2?

A "You are using PowerShell 5.1 or older."

B "You are using PowerShell 7 or newer."

C "PowerShell Version: 5.1"

D No output

💡 Hint

Refer to the if-else logic in the execution_sample code and the execution_table outputs.

Concept Snapshot

PowerShell versions differ mainly by Major version number.
Version 5.1 is Windows-only; 7+ is cross-platform.
Check $PSVersionTable.PSVersion.Major to detect version.
Use version check to run version-specific code.
PowerShell 7+ has new features and better performance.

Full Transcript

This lesson shows how PowerShell versions 5.1 and 7+ differ. The script prints the current PowerShell version and checks the Major version number. If the Major version is 7 or higher, it prints a message saying you are using PowerShell 7 or newer. Otherwise, it says you are using PowerShell 5.1 or older. Version 5.1 runs only on Windows, while 7+ works on Windows, Linux, and macOS. This helps you write scripts that behave correctly depending on the PowerShell version.