I have worked with COBOL, Visual Basic, C#, mainframes, z/OS, Linux, and distributed applications for many years. My team uses PowerShell every day and maintains thousands of older PowerShell 5.1 scripts for practical tasks such as scanning files for code pages and finding duplicates with hashes. We usually edit and run them in the Windows PowerShell ISE because its interface is simple, familiar, and comfortable for our workflow.
Our organization is gradually moving to PowerShell 7, but the ISE is not available there. I tried using the PowerShell extension in Visual Studio Code, but I did not enjoy the experience. About a year ago, I started building my own ISE-style editor for PowerShell 7. The goal is to create a reliable daily-use tool that feels familiar to people who are comfortable with the ISE and makes the transition from PowerShell 5.1 to 7 easier.
The project is still rough and has bugs, and the early feedback from coworkers has been mixed. I would like to understand what people actually value about the ISE, what makes other editors frustrating, and which features would make a lightweight PowerShell 7 editor genuinely useful. I am not trying to convince everyone to use my project; I would simply appreciate constructive feedback on how to improve it and make it useful beyond my own team.
3 Answers
It is worth considering existing tools before building and maintaining another editor. Visual Studio Code with only the PowerShell extension can be kept fairly simple, and there are also commercial PowerShell-focused products. A custom application can absolutely fit your team better, but make sure its maintenance, PowerShell 7 compatibility, security, and ownership are clear. If the original developer leaves, the team still needs to be able to support it.
The most useful next step would be to describe exactly what you like about the ISE and what feels wrong in Visual Studio Code. Is it the layout, script pane, console placement, debugging workflow, syntax coloring, autocomplete, or simply how quickly you can run and edit a script? Those details will make the project much easier to evaluate than a general goal of recreating the ISE.
There is nothing wrong with building this as an internal productivity project, especially if your team has a very specific workflow. Just be aware that the ISE had limitations and sometimes behaved differently from a normal PowerShell host, so reproducing its appearance is not enough. Focus on dependable execution, debugging, editing, and a clear separation between the editor and the PowerShell runtime. AI coding assistants can help with prototyping, but the design and testing still need to come from the people who will use it.
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