Add PSContentPath Infrastructure by jshigetomi · Pull Request #26509 · PowerShell/PowerShell

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) · 2025-11-21T21:58:59Z

PR Summary

This pull request introduces new user-facing cmdlets for managing the PowerShell content path, refactors how personal module and configuration paths are determined, and improves cross-platform consistency for configuration storage. The most significant changes are the addition of Get-PSContentPath and Set-PSContentPath cmdlets, updates to the logic for resolving user content/config paths (especially on Windows), and the adoption of the content path as the basis for the personal module path.

Platform-specific content/config path handling:

Introduced DefaultPSContentDirectory and LocalAppDataPSContentDirectory properties in CorePsPlatform.cs to standardize the location of PowerShell content data across platforms. On Windows, Documents\PowerShell is still preferred for PSContentPath , with a fallback for legacy locations. This was to avoid a breaking change and just make this PR an introduction for the infrastructure.
Refactored PowerShellConfig to select the user config directory/file based on the presence of existing config files, ensuring backward compatibility while defaulting to the new location for new installs.

Personal module path changes:

Changed the logic for determining the personal module path to use the PS content path (from GetPSContentPath()), rather than hardcoded locations like My Documents or XDG directories.
Updated the module path resolution to fall back to the new personal module path if not explicitly set in config.

Constants and documentation improvements:

Added a constant for the PS user content path config key in ModuleIntrinsics.cs.
Clarified documentation for module constraint matching.

New cmdlets for PSContentPath management:

Added Get-PSContentPath and Set-PSContentPath cmdlets, allowing users to query and configure the PowerShell content path with validation logic.
Registered these cmdlets in the core session state, making them available by default. [1] [2]

`Get-PSContentPath`

Gets the current PowerShell user content path (where modules, scripts, help, and profiles are stored). Returns a System.IO.DirectoryInfo object with a ConfigFile NoteProperty attached, which the default list formatter displays.

# Get the current content path
(Get-PSContentPath).FullName

# Use in string interpolation
"Modules are stored in $(Get-PSContentPath)\Modules"

# Get the config file location
(Get-PSContentPath).ConfigFile

`Set-PSContentPath`

Sets a custom content path, persisted in powershell.config.json. The confirm impact is High, so users are prompted for confirmation by default.

Parameter	Description
`-Path <string>`	Absolute path for the content directory (env vars expanded)
`-Default`	Resets to platform default
`-WhatIf` / `-Confirm`	ShouldProcess support (prompts by default due to High impact)

PS> Set-PSContentPath -Path "D:\PowerShell"

Confirm
Are you sure you want to perform this action?
...
[Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [S] Suspend  [?] Help (default is "Y"):

PS> Set-PSContentPath -Path "$env:OneDrive\PowerShell"
PS> Set-PSContentPath -Default

`$PSUserContentPath` Variable

A readonly automatic variable exposing the current content path. Users cannot modify it directly—they get a helpful error directing them to use Set-PSContentPath.

PS> $PSUserContentPath
C:\Users\user\Documents\PowerShell

PS> $PSUserContentPath = "D:\Other"
InvalidOperation: Cannot modify the readonly variable 'PSUserContentPath'. 
Use Set-PSContentPath to configure this value.

PR Context

This change represents a major milestone for the PowerShell ecosystem—one that has been long requested by the community, and discussed extensively. The feature originated from community feedback in #15552, aligns with related work in PowerShell/PSResourceGet#1912, and was shaped through detailed specifications in PowerShell/PowerShell-RFC#388.

This feature lays the foundation for flexible, user-configurable PowerShell content storage, addressing scenarios such as roaming profiles and containerized environments.

By enabling customization of content paths, we empower users to adapt PowerShell to modern deployment and security requirements.

Partially Addresses: #26121 #27370 #24274

PR Checklist

…ether or not migration took place

…ault PSContentPath location

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR introduces an experimental feature called PSContentPath that changes the default location for PowerShell user content (modules, scripts, help, and profiles) from Documents\PowerShell to LocalAppData\PowerShell on Windows, and provides a configurable path via Get-PSContentPath and Set-PSContentPath cmdlets. The feature includes lazy migration logic to move config files from the old location to the new location when the experimental feature is enabled.

Key changes:

Adds experimental feature PSContentPath with new cmdlets to get/set the content path
Implements lazy migration from old config directory to new default location (LocalAppData)
Updates all content path references to use the centralized Utils.GetPSContentPath() API

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 9 out of 9 changed files in this pull request and generated 7 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
ExperimentalFeature.cs	Adds PSContentPath experimental feature definition
GetSetPSContentPathCommand.cs	New cmdlets for getting and setting PSContentPath with validation
PSConfiguration.cs	Adds GetPSContentPath/SetPSContentPath methods and lazy migration logic
Utils.cs	Adds GetPSContentPath() helper method with fallback logic
CorePsPlatform.cs	Adds DefaultPSContentDirectory constant for the new default location
ModuleIntrinsics.cs	Updates GetPersonalModulePath and SetModulePath to use new API
HostUtilities.cs	Updates profile path logic to use GetPSContentPath
HelpUtils.cs	Updates help search path to use GetPSContentPath
InitialSessionState.cs	Registers new Get/Set-PSContentPath cmdlets

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Ilya (iSazonov) · 2025-11-22T08:02:34Z

If user intention is to migrate content to new location I believe the new cmdlets should help them.
I'd like to get not only current content path but size too Get-PSContentPath -MeasureSize.

Ryan Yates (kilasuit) · 2025-11-23T00:11:30Z

Justin Chung (@jshigetomi) - Please mark this PR as a Draft & go through the PR checklist & mark things appropriately add some PR Context as is requested in the PR template.

Until all thats done we shouldn't look to accept this pr.

You can do better than this & should do so in future too.
Ilya (@iSazonov) re this
I'd like to get not only current content path but size too Get-PSContentPath -MeasureSize.
I don't disagree on having that ability too.

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) · 2025-11-23T04:28:34Z

Ryan Yates (@kilasuit) - Thanks for calling me out on that. Definitely intended this as a draft.

…Shell into PSModulePathFix

…ault

Ryan Yates (kilasuit) · 2026-03-08T17:08:27Z

Justin Chung (@jshigetomi) can we please update PR Summary with the changes since Steve's comments from the Working Group above which FYI I wasn't able to attend the meeting where these comments came from.

Also just for people like Ilya (@iSazonov) reading this PR that wanted the Size to be returned as part of Get-PSContentPath (which I do agree it would be a really nice to have) you can get this using the PSTree Module on the Gallery so you can get the size of a folder, like the one that will be mentioned in PSContentPath after this PR is merged, and everything in it recursively easily as currently this is not built in nicely to .NET from what I can tell and this is why we don't return this in Get-ChildItem natively.

An example returning the User's PSModulePath directories recursive size using the PSTree Module would be pstree -Directory ($env:PSModulePath.Split(';').where{$_ -match 'users'}) -RecursiveSize | select -First 1

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 21 out of 21 changed files in this pull request and generated 14 comments.

microsoft-github-policy-service · 2026-03-31T06:19:22Z

This pull request has been automatically marked as Review Needed because it has been there has not been any activity for 7 days.
Maintainer, please provide feedback and/or mark it as Waiting on Author

- Added tests for automatic variable. - Added tests for -default parameter - added tests for legacty documents path -Added test for deduplication of PSModulePath

…elpful error Fix tests

dn-jmp · 2026-08-06T18:37:55Z

Hello! I am looking forward to this implementation and I am just curious if it has been slated for any particular release milestones. Do you think it'll make it into 7.7.0?

James Brundage (StartAutomating) · 2026-08-20T16:59:57Z

Please also provide Push/Pop-PSContentPath.

especially because you're planning on using a fallback stack anyways.

This would be incredibly useful when working in certain contexts, like git worktreees.

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) · 2026-08-20T19:01:15Z

dn-jmp The goal is to make it into 7.7

James Brundage (StartAutomating) · 2026-08-20T19:14:58Z

One other curveball to potentially support would be having no content path.

Why? Lockdown scenarios and isolation testing.

If I wanted to isolate a particular load error, I would want to ensure that no content is loaded from other directories.

Similarly, if I wanted to lock down a particular session so that it cannot load other things, I would want to load whatever is required, change the content paths, and change the language mode. If there was no acceptable location to load content from, this would help harden the surface area in these scenarios.

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) · 2026-08-20T19:47:02Z

James Brundage (@StartAutomating) the no content path scenario is interesting. Right now, the content is made available via the PSModulePath variable, and this PR just provides infrastructure to add the defined content path to PSModulePath.

The scope of this work would be beyond just the user level.

James Brundage (StartAutomating) · 2026-08-20T20:29:36Z

James Brundage (James Brundage (@StartAutomating)) the no content path scenario is interesting. Right now, the content is made available via the PSModulePath variable, and this PR just provides infrastructure to add the defined content path to PSModulePath.

The scope of this work would be beyond just the user level.

Fine to know.

If we're just manipulating PSModulePath, then definitely Push/Pop-PSContentPath.

Also, if we're manipulating PSModulePath, for discoverability I'd highly suggest Get/Set/Push/Pop-PSModulePath

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) · 2026-09-16T23:28:43Z

James Brundage (@StartAutomating) We can get that in the next PR, do not want to delay this anymore.

Justin Chung and others added 12 commits March 13, 2025 14:38

Testing

b73eea5

Update PSModulePath

805fd0e

Add Experimental feature for PSContent

6dc662d

Merge branch 'master' into PSModulePathFix

67a18aa

Removed unused variables

4a7bb3d

Switch to default PSContentPath LOCALAPPData, cmdlets added

00b6307

Add lazy migration

7e5802b

Add null checks incase PSUserContentPath fails to get any value

830016e

Able to use expanded environmental variables

56acf2d

Remove help URI

3f5709d

Reassign perUserConfigDirectory if experimental feature is enabled wh…

9e516fa

…ether or not migration took place

Move migration to GetPSContentPath API, added safety fallbacks to def…

d371979

…ault PSContentPath location

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) requested a review from Aditya Patwardhan (adityapatwardhan) as a code owner November 21, 2025 21:58

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings November 21, 2025 21:58

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) requested a review from Dongbo Wang (daxian-dbw) as a code owner November 21, 2025 21:59

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of Justin Chung (jshigetomi) November 21, 2025 21:59 View session

Copilot finished reviewing on behalf of Justin Chung (jshigetomi) November 21, 2025 22:01

Merge branch 'master' into PSModulePathFix

c62f82a

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) added the CL-Experimental Indicates that a PR should be marked as an Experimental Feature in the Change Log label Nov 21, 2025

Copilot AI reviewed Nov 21, 2025

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Copilot AI reviewed Nov 22, 2025

Ilya (iSazonov) reviewed Nov 22, 2025

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Comment thread src/System.Management.Automation/engine/Configuration/GetSetPSContentPathCommand.cs Outdated

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) marked this pull request as draft November 23, 2025 04:23

microsoft-github-policy-service Bot added the Waiting on Author The PR was reviewed and requires changes or comments from the author before being accept label Nov 26, 2025

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) added 2 commits December 1, 2025 12:21

Add tests

b207b5c

Merge branch 'PSModulePathFix' of https://github.com/jshigetomi/Power…

8fc45c7

…Shell into PSModulePathFix

microsoft-github-policy-service Bot removed the Waiting on Author The PR was reviewed and requires changes or comments from the author before being accept label Dec 1, 2025

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) added 2 commits February 25, 2026 09:47

Add config file as a note property and rename -reset parameter to def…

d69bb03

…ault

Change impact for Set-PSContentPath to High

95ec9f8

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) force-pushed the PSModulePathFix branch 3 times, most recently from 198cfc3 to 95ec9f8 Compare March 3, 2026 15:59

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) mentioned this pull request Mar 9, 2026

Document PSContentPath Feature in PowerShell MicrosoftDocs/PowerShell-Docs#12827

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Justin Chung (jshigetomi) requested a review from Copilot March 18, 2026 18:32

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Justin Chung added 2 commits March 23, 2026 13:42

Copilot review fixes

b212b12

Add in necessary directives

cdd6313

microsoft-github-policy-service Bot added the Review - Needed The PR is being reviewed label Mar 31, 2026

Justin Chung added 4 commits April 1, 2026 13:32

- Add null check for GetPersonalModulePath.

2eace0b

- Added tests for automatic variable. - Added tests for -default parameter - added tests for legacty documents path -Added test for deduplication of PSModulePath

Remove readonly for PSUserContentPath and rely on setter to throw a h…

740ef74

…elpful error Fix tests

Remove tests for helpful error message

f8459dc

Remove deduplicatation test because tests inject module path

5902fb4

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) linked an issue Apr 14, 2026 that may be closed by this pull request

PowerShell 7.6.0 (MSIX) fails to auto-inject or update dynamic profile in Windows Terminal #27064

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5 tasks done

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) removed a link to an issue Apr 14, 2026

PowerShell 7.6.0 (MSIX) fails to auto-inject or update dynamic profile in Windows Terminal #27064

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5 tasks done

Merge branch 'master' into PSModulePathFix

ab4feea

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) mentioned this pull request Jun 22, 2026

Add PSModulePath override to InitialSessionState. #27126

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6 of 12 tasks

Justin Chung (jshigetomi) mentioned this pull request Sep 9, 2026

Add PSContentPath Standard Platform Paths PowerShell/PSResourceGet#1912

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7 of 14 tasks

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PR Summary

Get-PSContentPath

Set-PSContentPath

$PSUserContentPath Variable

PR Context

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Justin Chung (jshigetomi) commented Nov 21, 2025 •

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`Get-PSContentPath`

`Set-PSContentPath`

`$PSUserContentPath` Variable

Ryan Yates (kilasuit) commented Nov 23, 2025 •

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