PowerShell is an object-oriented automation and configuration management framework from Microsoft. Unlike traditional command-line interfaces that work with text, PowerShell works with .NET objects, making it more powerful for system administration tasks.

Key differences:

• Object-based: Commands return .NET objects instead of text
• Cmdlet structure: Uses verb-noun syntax (Get-Process, Set-Location)
• Pipeline: Objects flow through the pipeline, not just text
• Integrated scripting: Built-in scripting language with full .NET access
• Cross-platform: PowerShell Core runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS