Managing software packages on a Windows system can be efficiently handled using PowerShell commands. One such command is Get-Package, which allows users to retrieve information about software packages installed on their systems. This article will guide you through the basics of using Get-Package in Windows PowerShell, providing practical examples to help you get started.

What is Get-Package?

Get-Package is a PowerShell cmdlet that retrieves a list of all software packages installed on the system. It can be used to query both native Windows installers and packages managed by package management providers like NuGet, Chocolatey, and others.

Prerequisites

Before using Get-Package, ensure you have PowerShell installed on your Windows system. PowerShell comes pre-installed on Windows 10 and later versions. For older versions, you may need to install it manually.

Basic Usage

To use Get-Package, open PowerShell with administrative privileges and enter the following command:

Get-Package

This command will list all installed packages along with their details such as Name, Version, and Source.

Filtering Results

You can filter the results to find specific packages. For example, to find all packages with "Microsoft" in their name, use the -Name parameter:

Get-Package -Name *Microsoft*

Detailed Information

To get more detailed information about a specific package, use the -ProviderName parameter along with the package name:

Get-Package -Name "Microsoft Edge" -ProviderName Programs

Exporting Package List

You can export the list of installed packages to a file for documentation or backup purposes. Use the Export-Csv cmdlet to save the output to a CSV file:

Get-Package | Export-Csv -Path "C:\InstalledPackages.csv" -NoTypeInformation

Installing and Uninstalling Packages

While Get-Package is used for retrieving package information, you can use other cmdlets like Install-Package and Uninstall-Package to manage the installation and removal of packages. For example, to install a package using Chocolatey:

Install-Package -Name "git" -ProviderName Chocolatey

And to uninstall a package:

Uninstall-Package -Name "git" -ProviderName Programs

Examples

1. List all installed packages:

   Get-Package

2. Filter packages by name:

   Get-Package -Name *Adobe*

3. Get detailed information about a specific package:

   Get-Package -Name "Google Chrome" -ProviderName Programs

4. Export the list of installed packages to a CSV file:

   Get-Package | Export-Csv -Path "C:\InstalledPackages.csv" -NoTypeInformation

5. Install a package using Chocolatey:

   Install-Package -Name "nodejs" -ProviderName Chocolatey

6. Uninstall a package:

   Uninstall-Package -Name "nodejs" -ProviderName Programs

Conclusion

Using Get-Package in PowerShell is a powerful way to manage and query software packages on a Windows system. By mastering this cmdlet, you can streamline software management tasks, making your workflow more efficient and organized.