Capabilities of scripts, functions, and script blocks

Scripts, functions, and script blocks share many of the same capabilities. These capabilities are explored during this and the next few chapters. Scripts, functions, and script blocks can each:

• Define parameters
• Support pipeline input
• Support common parameters, including support for Confirm and WhatIf
• Allow other functions to be nested inside

Scripts, but not functions or script blocks, support the using assembly and using namespace directives. Scripts also support the #Requires statement.

Scripts and using statements

using statements, introduced with PowerShell 5, were described in Chapter 7, Working with .NET. A short example of a using statement is shown here:

using namespace System.Xml.Linq

A function may benefit from using statements declared in a parent scope. The parent scope includes code run on the console, a script that contains a function, or a module (.psm1 file...