Not Everything's a Nail: Mastering Data Structures & Algorithms in PowerShell

Not every problem is a nail, and not every solution is a hammer! In this interactive session, we’ll go beyond the basics and explore the hidden power of data structures and algorithms in PowerShell. Dive deep into common structures like arrays, hash tables, and lists, and unlock the potential of stacks, queues, and trees. You’ll also get hands-on experience with sorting, searching, and pathfinding algorithms that can take your scripts to the next level.

Whether you're automating complex tasks or solving intricate problems, this session will expand your PowerShell toolkit with both theory and practical applications. Perfect for those ready to think beyond the hammer!

This session is ideal for intermediate to advanced PowerShell users looking to expand their skill set beyond basic scripting. DevOps engineers seeking to optimize automation workflows with efficient data structures will also benefit, as will IT professionals wanting to enhance their system management and automation scripts. Scripting enthusiasts ready to deepen their understanding of PowerShell’s capabilities will find the content especially rewarding.

A 4-hour workshop is recommended, providing ample time for both theory and hands-on practice.

The first two hours will focus on theory, introducing key data structures such as arrays, lists, hash tables, stacks, queues, and trees, along with algorithms like sorting, searching, and pathfinding. The second half will be dedicated to practical, hands-on exercises where attendees can apply these concepts in real-world PowerShell scripts.

Participants will gain the ability to select and implement the appropriate data structures for specific tasks, efficiently manipulate arrays, hash tables, stacks, and queues within PowerShell, and integrate sorting, searching, and pathfinding algorithms to enhance automation tasks.

Let's Talk

In this informal session focusing on people rather than technology, Summit speakers will engage in an open dialogue about building community, navigating career challenges, and the journey of self-discovery through introspection. The panel welcomes audience participation through questions and shared experiences.

Ideally 60-90 minutes.

Writing Cross-Platform PowerShell

When released, PowerShell 7 became the first PowerShell version to officially support cross-platform installations, meaning that you can run PowerShell on Windows, MacOS, and most Linux distributions. In this session, we will learn how to write PowerShell code that supports these platforms so you can keep your code consistent and avoid maintaining multiple OS specific scripts.