Find Module - PowerShell

Overview

The Find-Module command in PowerShell allows you to locate and retrieve information about PowerShell modules installed on your system or available online. It provides a quick and efficient way to discover and manage modules, essential building blocks that extend PowerShell’s capabilities.

Syntax

Find-Module [-Name] <string> [-Repository <string>] [-ErrorAction <string>] [-WarningAction <string>]
[-InformationAction <string>] [-Verbose] [-Debug] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [-OutFile <string>]
[-OutVariable <string>]

Options/Flags

  • -Name: Filter the search by module name. Can be a partial match.
  • -Repository: Specify a specific repository to search in.
  • -ErrorAction: Control how the command handles errors. Default: Continue to next item.
  • -WarningAction: Control how the command handles warnings. Default: Inquire.
  • -InformationAction: Control how the command handles information messages. Default: Output.
  • -Verbose: Enable verbose output, showing detailed information about the discovery process.
  • -Debug: Enable debug output, showing internal debugging information.
  • -WhatIf: Show what the command would do without actually performing the action.
  • -Confirm: Prompt for confirmation before performing the action.
  • -OutFile: Output the results to a specified file.
  • -OutVariable: Store the results in a specified variable.

Examples

1. Find all installed modules:

Find-Module

2. Find modules by name:

Find-Module -Name Exchange

3. Search modules in a specific repository:

Find-Module -Repository PSGallery -Name SharePoint

4. Output results to a file:

Find-Module -OutFile module_list.txt

5. Store results in a variable:

$modules = Find-Module -Name *Security*

Common Issues

  • Module not found: Ensure you have the correct module name and try searching in different repositories.
  • Access denied: If searching online repositories, check your internet connection and permissions to access the repositories.

Integration

Find-Module integrates seamlessly with other PowerShell commands. For example:

  • To import a module found using Find-Module, use Import-Module with the module name.
  • To install or update a module, use Install-Module or Update-Module with the module name.
  • Get-Module: Retrieves details about installed modules.
  • Import-Module: Imports a module into the current PowerShell session.
  • Install-Module: Installs a module from a repository.
  • Update-Module: Updates an installed module to the latest version.