Any coder will tell you that code comments are just as crucial as code functionality. Programmers often utilize comments to clarify code and capabilities created by other programmers, which is a core part of programming.
PowerShell comment block that is evocative and insightful assists us in comprehending the meaning and impact of the code and can clarify common situations that have occurred in the past.
In this article, the TrustGuide team will help you learn many forms of comments and how and when to use them efficiently in scripts.
How To Use Singe-Line PowerShell Comments?
The notion of comments is included in the majority of computer languages. In Powershell, the key language is “#”. PowerShell ignores anything that follows a hashtag (#) on the same line as interpreted code.
An example of code taken from a script is provided below:
# Obtain all documents with the TXT extension, display each one’s name, and then erase it.
Receive-ChildItem *
TXT | ForEach-Object {
Write-Output $_.FullName
Write-Output $_.FullName
}
You can look at the PowerShell script’s description on the initial line to understand how it functions.
If you are an expert in PowerShell, you can explain what this code accomplishes without employing any comments.
How To Use Powershell Comment Block?
The # character denotes the start of a remark, as you learned in the section before this one. You can freely add several lines to your comment.
As a matter of fact, before PowerShell 2.0, the only way to construct multi-line comments was first to create numerous single-line comments.
It would be wonderful to have helpful information listed within a script when you read it to see what it does, such as what the script is for, who produced it, and when it was generated.
PowerShell block comments are useful for including explanatory information in your scripts.
In this manner, the script’s objective is achieved, and it’s also a fantastic idea to offer cautions or items to be aware of when employing the script.
Although PowerShell multi-line comments, sometimes called PowerShell comment blocks, are necessary for some situations, you should try to keep your comments clear and short.
Some tips on how to write comment blocks effectively are:
- Do not use line numbers: Including line numbers in your comments is tempting when you’re coding.
You would be correct in assuming that including a line number reference makes your code much simpler to understand in case there is no alteration in your code.
Suppose your script contains a different line of code, which likely indicates that every line number reference in your message has been updated.
It should preferably be if you change the comments to maintain the proper line numbering for each update.
- Don’t include remarks at the script’s conclusion: A code is typically read from top to bottom. It’s advisable to highlight your comments as you add them if they affect later lines of code.
Rather than having to check it all over again, this will be more logical and save you a lot of time.
- Keep your line’s final comment to a minimum: Similar to the last point, placing a note underneath the code rather than after it, even when they are on the same line, is preferable.
Putting a comment at the top side of the code might lead to editing mistakes because you should be aware that the comment will update as the code does, rather than just concentrating on updating the code.
- Comment sparingly whenever possible: Occasionally, adding a remark to a code is pointless since it is so straightforward and the purpose is clear.
In this case, a comment is typically much lengthier than the code it refers to. You might want to reconsider if you believe the notes in this code are unnecessary.
- Comment-based assistance for scripts and functions: All lines in the comment block are treated as comments for writing comment-based support, which is written as a series of comments.
Keep in mind that a comment-based assistance subject must contain only continuous lines.
There must be at least a blank line between the final line of the non-help comment and the first line of the comment-based help subject if it follows one. Therefore, each component of the comment-based aid is identified by the term.
A dot precedes each comment-based help keyword, so the term identifies each component of the comment-based aid. A dot precedes each comment-based help keyword, and keywords can appear in any order case insensitive.
Although there are tried-and-true recommendations for using comments in PowerShell, there are no strict rules that must be followed.
It ultimately depends on whether you want to utilize comments in your script to keep track of the crucial details from beginning to end.
The Bottom Line
This article taught you the value of adding comments to your PowerShell comment block scripts and functions.
Additionally, you explored the many sorts of comments that are accessible and how well-written and strategically positioned comments can significantly improve the accessibility of your code.
Thank you for joining us. See you around!
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