TAB keypress

09 Mar 2025 - jhunter

Source

learn.microsoft.com

Command

TAB key press

Definition

In PowerShell the TAB keypress completes typed input. The TAB key press is one the big facilitators of PowerShell programming.

The technology which does this completionn is called Predictive IntelliSense.

TAB completion can be used for completing:

1. file paths
2. commands
3. properties of commands
4. pre-set available values of properties.

Using TAB

Files paths

Write in at least one letter, or:

& ./ 

or:

. ./

and then press TAB.

You can also use asterisks * as wildcards around the letters, or just an asterisk by itself.

The terminal will auto-complete with the first available matching file, if any.

With intellisense, you will always get available files first before commands.

Commands

Powershell often has very long commands. Write in the beginning of a command then press TAB to save typing.

The tabbed results are revealed alphabetically. If you think your result will be at the end of a list of options, you can select in an anti-alphabetical manner by holding SHIFT and pressing TAB.

Properties of commands

After writing in a command, press a space, then a minus sign, then press TAB.

Pre-set property values

Following a property, press TAB again to view any available pre-set values.

If there were none, you will start to see available files from the present working directory.