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Does anyone know of a good Command Prompt replacement? I've tried bash/Cygwin, but that does not really meet my needs at work because it's too heavy. I'd like a function-for-function identical wrapper on cmd.exe, but with highlighting, intellisense, and (critically) a tabbed interface. Powershell is okay, but the interface is still lacking.

Nick
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    [BGShell](http://www.codeplex.com/bgshell). Tabbed frontend for PowerShell with intellisense, other goodies. Go. Now. –  Aug 21 '08 at 13:06

10 Answers10

64

Edited: I've been using ConEmu (http://conemu.github.io/) for quite some time now. This one is a wrapper too, since it is not really possible to replace the Windows console without rewriting the whole command interpreter. Below the line is my original answer for an earlier alternative.

Not exactly a replacement (actually, it's a prettifying wrapper) but you might try Console (http://sourceforge.net/projects/console/)

Ishmaeel
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    It's not really possible to replace cmd.exe. Because the Windows prompt has no interface layer. So you have to wrap it. Maybe Microsoft will get a clue and improve this for Windows 7. – mxcl Nov 06 '08 at 11:31
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    I come from the future. Windows 7 still has a cruddy console. – Blender Nov 11 '11 at 02:04
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    Console is the most recommended cmd.exe shell on AlternativeTo.net: http://alternativeto.net/software/windows-command-prompt-cmd/?platform=windows (second only to cygwin :-P) – Greg Bray May 22 '12 at 16:23
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    I come from future, too. Windows 8 still has this crap. – ahmet alp balkan Mar 07 '13 at 21:42
  • Me too... from future... Windows 9 has that weirdo too... (Just kidding Windows 9 is not out yet, but statement will be correct) – yusuf Oct 29 '13 at 09:56
  • I'm on my 5th trip back from the future, Windows went through a name change in 2034 and is now called Cerebrum, still has shit command prompt ... – Jammer Nov 01 '13 at 19:59
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    I've been using and loving ConEmu (which provides a good UI, tabbed windows etc) which in turn can wrap TCC LE (free, cmd.exe replacement) with better command line completion and a ton of other features. ConEnu also wraps Bash, Clink, PowerShell or plain old cmd.exe – Grynn Nov 24 '13 at 12:32
  • @Grynn: Ah yes, Thanks. Actually I had switched to ConEmu far earlier. Don't know why it didn't occur to me to update my answer. Did so now. – Ishmaeel Nov 25 '13 at 23:14
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    I come from the present. Windows 10 does not solve this issue. – dgo Apr 04 '15 at 20:24
  • I come from Microsoft, they won't ever change their bad habits! – Ahmed Ghoneim Mar 17 '17 at 19:47
  • I come from even further in the future! Microsoft is finally creating a fully featured Terminal replacement for cmd.exe that will be out in the summer! – KChaloux May 21 '19 at 13:11
  • [The future has arrived.](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/terminal/get-started) – T3RR0R Jan 31 '21 at 14:19
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I've been using JPSoft's products a long time (starting back with 4OS2 and 4DOS), and currently use Take Command 9. It works with existing batch files, has it's own improvements on top, a tabbed interface, and filename coloring options.

Looks like their site is having some problems right now, but you can find them at: http://jpsoft.com/

crashmstr
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  • I just tried Take Command 12.0. It seems quite buggy, unfortunately - it crashed on me and left some rogue processes locking files, running in the background, that required a reboot to get rid of. It seems to lack a lot of polish. – Contango Mar 24 '11 at 11:12
  • @Gravitas: I've been running 12 for a while now (skipped over 10, went to 11, then upgraded to 12 in November). I have not been having any of those problems. – crashmstr Jun 21 '11 at 12:28
  • also is not compatible with cmd scripting – mhstnsc Nov 11 '13 at 07:57
  • @MihaiStanescu If you use JPSoft's extensions, then no, *those* cannot be used with cmd.exe, but generally the other way around is fine, and if it does not work right, just run it under cmd.exe – crashmstr Nov 11 '13 at 12:55
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I use Take Command 9.0. I have used JPSoft's products for years. It has a tabbed interface. I have Take Command start with Take Command, Powershell, and CMD.exe each in their own tab. It doesn't do syntax highlighting. Take Command is syntactically compatible with CMD.exe and enhances each command quite a bit and adds many more.

PowerShell isn't a complete replacement for CMD.exe or Take Command. I find myself using both. You might ask why I would still use CMD.exe and it is because I will use Take Command to test a batch file that is limited to commands that work in CMD.exe and I then need to deploy the batch file on a workstation/server that doesn't have Take Command on it. I can create/test in Take Command and then verify it works in CMD.exe before deploying it.

I don't know of any IDE's that provide Intellisense for batch files specifically. If they did it would only be for a few keywords anyway. Most of the time in batch files you are running commands that are external to the batch language and wouldn't be included in the Intellisense.

I use Textpad to edit my batch files. Take Command has a debugger and it has logging capabilities which makes it very easy to test your batch files.

bruceatk
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  • I seem to remember the VB6 IDE having batch file "intellisense", like auto-completing ActiveX components. I could be imagining this, though. – Stephen Swensen Mar 22 '11 at 16:17
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PowerCmd is a trial-ware wrapper for cmd.exe and costs 30$

It offers:

  • tabs
  • a "normal" selection mode
  • copy'n'paste
  • highlighting
  • auto complete
  • buttons to start Python, Powershell and others
phobie
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If you want a more feature-rich UI for Powershell, try PowerGUI.

http://powergui.org/index.jspa

Eric Z Beard
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3

NYAOS

"NYAOS" is the tcsh-like enhanced commandline shell for Windows and OS/2 !

http://www.nyaos.org/

f3lix
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2

For decent completion and command history, try the PyCmd wrapper at https://sourceforge.net/projects/pycmd/

1

I use 4NT from the above mentioned JPSoft. It works great and has great added functionality. It is being replaced by TakeCommand but I do not need that much extra functionality.

Update: It's no longer known as 4NT. Now its name is TCC/LE.

JotaBe
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Gerhard
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0

If you want not to use cmd.exe totally then go for ZOC.exe terminal.ZOC is enterprise application.

Else just add some feature to your Command prompt by installing GOW.EXE.GOW is opensource application.

But always you can go for Git which is giving mostly commands in bash. Just add the bin folder to your environment path. Your command prompt will work as unix terminal.

Priya
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  • Do you have any links for those? Google gives many different sources and I want to be sure to try the correct one. – Mizipzor Jul 11 '12 at 15:48
  • For Gow - https://github.com/bmatzelle/gow/downloads Gow description - http://www.prinew.com/gow-provides-open-source-utilities-for-windows-most-commonly-found-on-linux-systems/ For Zoc - http://www.emtec.com/zoc/ Zoc description - http://www.emtec.com/zoc/features.html – Priya Jan 11 '13 at 09:59
  • So I am trying ZOC now. But what do I enter to connect to windows local so I can access the C: drive and run stuff there? – Raymond the Developer Jul 09 '17 at 00:22
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Nick, I know you asked this a long while ago but I've just found it while searching for something related. I have been using PromptPal and its been great. I got it about a year ago, early 2008, and it was through this discount software thing called BitsDujour. I just went there and noticed they had a deal for 51% off that product only a few days ago. Keep your eyes on that site and maybe the discount will come up again soon. Its well worth the $30 but I got 2 licenses for 1/2 off, one for each of my PCs...

Taptronic
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