Switch statement in PowerShell - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

💻 Command Output

intermediate

Output of a simple switch statement

What is the output of this PowerShell script?

PowerShell

switch (3) {
  1 { 'One' }
  2 { 'Two' }
  3 { 'Three' }
  default { 'Other' }
}

A Other

B Three

C 1

D Two

💡 Hint

The switch statement matches the value 3 to the case 3.

The switch statement compares the input value 3 to each case. When it finds 3, it outputs 'Three'.

💻 Command Output

intermediate

Switch with multiple matching cases

What will this PowerShell script output?

PowerShell

switch (4) {
  {$_ -lt 3} { 'Less than 3' }
  {$_ -lt 5} { 'Less than 5' }
  default { '5 or more' }
}

A Less than 3

B

Less than 3
Less than 5

C 5 or more

D Less than 5

💡 Hint

Switch stops at the first matching case unless -File or -Regex is used.

The value 4 is not less than 3, so the first case is skipped. It is less than 5, so 'Less than 5' is output and switch stops.

📝 Syntax

advanced

Identify the syntax error in switch statement

Which option contains a syntax error in the switch statement?

A switch ($value) { 1 { 'One' } 2 { 'Two' } default { 'Other' } }

B } } 'rehtO' { tluafed } 'owT' { 2 } 'enO' { 1 { )eulav$( hctiws

C switch ($value) { 1: { 'One' } 2: { 'Two' } default: { 'Other' } }

D switch $value { 1 { 'One' } 2 { 'Two' } default { 'Other' } }

💡 Hint

Check the use of colons vs braces in switch cases.

PowerShell switch cases use braces {} for code blocks, not colons. Using colons causes a syntax error.

🚀 Application

advanced

Using switch to process multiple inputs

What is the output of this script?

PowerShell

switch (1, 2, 3) {
  1 { 'One' }
  2 { 'Two' }
  3 { 'Three' }
  default { 'Other' }
}

A

One
Two
Three

B One

C Other

D

One
Other

💡 Hint

Switch processes each input value separately.

The switch statement processes each value in the array (1,2,3) and outputs matching strings for each.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

Behavior of switch with -Wildcard parameter

Given this script, what is the output?

PowerShell

switch -Wildcard ("apple.txt", "banana.doc", "cherry.txt") {
  '*.txt' { "Text file: $_" }
  '*.doc' { "Doc file: $_" }
  default { "Other file: $_" }
}

A

Text file: apple.txt
Doc file: banana.doc
Text file: cherry.txt

B

Other file: apple.txt
Other file: banana.doc
Other file: cherry.txt

C

Text file: apple.txt
Text file: banana.doc
Text file: cherry.txt

D

Doc file: apple.txt
Doc file: banana.doc
Doc file: cherry.txt

💡 Hint

The -Wildcard parameter enables wildcard matching on input values.

With -Wildcard, switch matches each input against wildcard patterns. apple.txt and cherry.txt match '*.txt', banana.doc matches '*.doc'.