How to get a list of files in a directory in Windows PowerShell? Can I use the old "dir" command?

Yes, you can still use the old "dir" command in Windows PowerShell. But "dir" is defined as an alias of the "Get-ChildItem" cmdlet.

The "Get-ChildItem" cmdlet gets the items in the current directory by default. "Get-ChildItem" cmdlet returns child items as an array of FileInfo objects. You can pipe them into other cmdlets.

For example, the following command gets first 5 files from the C:\Windows directory:

PS C:\fyicenter> Get-ChildItem C:\Windows -File | Select-Object -First 5

    Directory: C:\Windows
    
Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
-a---          9/4/2007   4:14 PM     180000 aaRemove.exe
-a---        11/20/2010   7:16 AM      65024 bfsvc.exe
-a---          1/4/2012  12:04 PM     124789 DirectX.log
-a---          1/5/2012   1:22 AM       1774 DtcInstall.log
-a---         2/25/2011  12:30 AM    2616320 explorer.exe

Here are some example on how to use "Get-ChildItem" cmdlet:

"`n--- Get files and subdirectories recursively ---"
Get-ChildItem -Recurse

"`n--- Get files only ---"
Get-ChildItem -File

"`n--- Get subdirectories only ---"
Get-ChildItem -Directory

"`n--- Get system files including hidden ones ---"
Get-ChildItem C:\Windows\System32 -Force

⇒ Create Directory in Windows PowerShell

⇐ Get and Change Directory in Windows PowerShell

⇑ Work with File System in Windows PowerShell

⇑⇑ Windows PowerShell Tutorials