Windows PowerShell Get-Command equivalent in Linux
Checks whether a command exists and where it resolves.
PowerShell Get-Command
command -v name
command -v name
command -v name
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "PowerShell Get-Command" is used to find command path. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "command -v name". Checks whether a command exists and where it resolves. This reference is grouped under PowerShell Equivalents → Discovery.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows PowerShell Get-Command maps to command -v name for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read PowerShell vs Bash.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Find command path
Checks whether a command exists and where it resolves.
command -v name
Find command path
command --help
Show command help when supported
man command
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
command -v name
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: PowerShell Get-Command
command -v nameReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
command -v name | Find command path |
command --help | Show command help when supported |
man command | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "command -v name" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | command -v name |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | command -v name |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | command -v name |
Same command on this distribution. |
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