How to use "Start-Job" cmdlet in Windows PowerShell?

You can use the "Start-Job" cmdlet to start a Windows PowerShell background job on the local computer.

A Windows PowerShell background job runs a command "in the background" without interacting with the current session. When you start a background job, a job object is returned immediately, even if the job takes an extended time to complete. You can continue to work in the session without interruption while the job runs.

The job object contains useful information about the job, but it does not contain the job results. When the job completes, use the Receive-Job cmdlet to get the results of the job. For more information about background jobs, see about_Jobs.

To run a background job on a remote computer, use the AsJob parameter that is available on many cmdlets, or use the Invoke-Command cmdlet to run a Start-Job command on the remote computer. For more information, see about_Remote_Jobs.

The following example starts a background job to run the "get-process" cmdlet:

PS C:\fyicenter> start-job {get-process}

Id     Name            PSJobTypeName   State         HasMoreData     Command
--     ----            -------------   -----         -----------     -------
2      Job2            BackgroundJob   Running       True            get-process

The following example starts a background job to run the "$now = get-date" script:

PS C:\fyicenter> start-job {$now = get-date}

Id     Name            PSJobTypeName   State         HasMoreData     Command
--     ----            -------------   -----         -----------     -------
4      Job4            BackgroundJob   Running       True            $now = get-date

⇒ "Get-Job" Cmdlet in Windows PowerShell

⇐ What Is Windows PowerShell Background Job

⇑ Managing Windows PowerShell Background Jobs

⇑⇑ Windows PowerShell Tutorials