PowerShell Get-Job

last modified February 15, 2025

In this article, we will cover the Get-Job cmdlet in PowerShell. This cmdlet retrieves information about background jobs running in the current session.

Job basics

A PowerShell job represents a background task that runs independently of the current session. Jobs allow long-running tasks to execute without blocking the console. Each job has a unique ID, name, state, and other properties. The Get-Job cmdlet is essential for job monitoring and management.

Basic Get-Job usage

The simplest way to use Get-Job is without any parameters. This lists all jobs in the current session. The output includes job IDs, names, states, and completion status. Each job is represented as a Job object.

job1.ps1

Get-Job

This command retrieves all jobs in the current session. The output shows job IDs, names, and their current states (Running, Completed, Failed).

Get specific job by ID

You can retrieve information about a specific job using its ID. Use the -Id parameter followed by the job ID. This is useful when you need to check the status of a particular background task. Job IDs are assigned sequentially when jobs are created.

job2.ps1

Get-Job -Id 1

This command returns information about the job with ID 1. Only one job will be returned since IDs are unique within a session.

Get jobs by name

Jobs can be retrieved by their names using the -Name parameter. This is helpful when you have named jobs. Wildcards are supported for partial matching. Names make jobs easier to identify than numerical IDs.

job3.ps1

Get-Job -Name “Data*”

This command returns all jobs whose names start with “Data”. The asterisk acts as a wildcard character for pattern matching.

Filter jobs by state

You can filter jobs based on their current state. Common states include Running, Completed, and Failed. Use the -State parameter to filter jobs. This helps identify jobs that need attention or have finished.

job4.ps1

Get-Job -State Running

This command lists all currently running jobs. It’s useful for monitoring active background tasks in your session.

Formatting job output

The default table format can be changed using Format-List for detailed information. This shows all available properties of the job object. You can also select specific properties using Select-Object.

job5.ps1

Get-Job | Format-List *

This command displays all properties of all jobs in list format. The output includes detailed information like start time, end time, and child jobs.

Get job results

After a job completes, you can retrieve its results using Receive-Job. First use Get-Job to identify completed jobs. Then pipe them to Receive-Job to get the output. This is how you collect data from background tasks.

job6.ps1

Get-Job -State Completed | Receive-Job

This command retrieves results from all completed jobs. The output shows whatever data the background jobs produced during execution.

Get child jobs

Some jobs create child jobs, like those started with Start-Job. Use the -IncludeChildJob parameter to see these. Child jobs represent individual tasks within a parent job. This is useful for complex job hierarchies.

job7.ps1

Get-Job -IncludeChildJob

This command shows both parent and child jobs. Child jobs are indented under their parent jobs in the output.

Get jobs from previous sessions

The -IncludeJobCommand parameter shows the command that started each job. This helps identify what a job was doing. Combined with Format-List, it provides complete job information including the original command.

job8.ps1

Get-Job -IncludeJobCommand | Format-List

This command displays all jobs with their full details, including the commands that created them. Useful for auditing or documentation.

Source

PowerShell documentation

In this article, we have covered the Get-Job cmdlet in PowerShell.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

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