PowerTip: Determine your version of PowerShell and host operating system

Summary: Identify your PowerShell environment by making use of built-in PowerShell variables.

Hey, Scripting Guy! If I’m writing a script, how can I detect if I am running on Windows, Linux, or Mac with PowerShell?

Just use the built-in variable $PSVersionTable, which has all of the properties you’ll need. Here is an example:

# Currently operating version

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

# Current Host operating System

# If this value is $NULL you are currently running Windows PowerShell 5.x

# else it returns the host environment from the open Source release

$PSVersionTable.OS