Overview of the Az.Tools.Installer PowerShell module

Azure PowerShell is vital for automation and scripting within the Azure environment, accommodating fast and iterative processes. Customers usually update their Azure PowerShell modules via PowerShellGet, but they experience several challenges due to the intricate dependency relationships among the modules. Notably, each sub-module relies on Az.Accounts, complicating the update and uninstallation procedures.

Az.Tools.Installer emerged to address these issues, offering a more intuitive set of cmdlets for module management, which includes installation, uninstallation, and updating commands, thereby streamlining the user experience.

Benefits of using Az.Tools.installer

Az.Tools.Installer boasts significant enhancements based on user feedback, refining its functionality.

• Installation: The module allows users to specify exact versions and manage both stable and preview modules. It also supports installation from a NuGet package via a direct URL or local path.

• Uninstallation: Simplified syntax and the ability to exclude certain modules or focus on preview modules alone make the process more user-friendly.

• Update management: Allows you to specify the update source repository and the option to keep previous versions if needed.

Performance and user experience improvements

The performance of Az.Tools.Installer is significantly optimized, especially on PowerShell 7.x, with a reduction in installation time by approximately 50%. This optimization is critical for environments like Azure Functions where installation speed is a concern. A progress bar and detailed debug information have also been added to enhance user interaction and feedback.

Getting started with the Az.Tools.Installer module

To start using Az.Tools.Installer, install the module with the command Install-module -Name Az.Tools.Installer and then use Install-AzModule to set up Azure PowerShell. Feedback and issues can be reported through GitHub, which aids in continual improvement.