Command Prompt

Command Prompt (cmd) is a text-based command-line interpreter for Windows. Although more limited than PowerShell—which supports object-oriented scripting—cmd remains useful for legacy compatibility, simple file and process operations, and lightweight scripting.

Related to: Bash, PowerShell, bat

Summary Characteristics

Text-Based Interface: Commands operate on plain text, without the object-passing capabilities of PowerShell.
Limited Built-in Commands: Focused on core utilities like file handling, process control, and system inspection.
Direct Execution: Commands are interpreted and executed line-by-line, without support for pipelines.

Navigating the File System

Change Directory:
```
cd C:\path\to\directory
```
List Directory Contents:
```
dir
```
List in Bare Format:
```
dir /b
```

Managing Files and Directories

Creating many folders

mkdir time_series_analysis
cd time_series_analysis
type nul > 01_data_prep.py
type nul > 02_exploration.py
type nul > 03_decomposition_stats.py

Create a Directory:
```
mkdir newfolder
```
Delete a Directory (with contents):
```
rmdir /s /q newfolder
```
Copy a File:
```
copy C:\source\file.txt D:\destination\
```
Rename a File:
```
ren oldfile.txt newfile.txt
```
Delete a File:
```
del file.txt
```

Viewing System and Network Information

Network Configuration:
```
ipconfig
```
Detailed System Info:
```
systeminfo
```

Managing Processes

List Running Processes:
```
tasklist
```
Kill a Process by PID:
```
taskkill /F /PID 1234
```

Scripting with Batch Files

Simple .bat Script Example: example.bat
```
@echo off
echo Hello, World!
pause
```
Run the Script:
```
example.bat
```

Environment Variables

View All Variables:
```
set
```
Set a Variable:
```
set MYVAR=Hello
```

Redirecting Output

Send Command Output to File:
```
dir > output.txt
```

Viewing Command History

Current Session Only:
```
doskey /history
```

Data Archive

Explorer