psmodule-template

A GitHub template repository for bootstrapping new PowerShell 7+ modules. It ships with a module skeleton, Pester 5 tests, GitHub Actions CI, and a one-shot initialization script that replaces all placeholder names with your project-specific values.

Getting started

1 — Create a new repository from this template

Click "Use this template" on GitHub (or gh repo create --template BurtHarris/psmodule-template).

2 — Run the initialization script

Clone your new repository, then run:

.\Initialize-Module.ps1 -ModuleName 'YourModuleName' -Author 'YourName' `
    -Description 'Short description of what the module does' `
    -Tags 'tag1,tag2'

The script will:

• Rename MyModule/ to YourModuleName/
• Rename MyModule.psd1 / MyModule.psm1 / MyModule.Tests.ps1
• Generate a fresh, unique GUID for the module manifest
• Replace author, description, and GitHub URL placeholders throughout
• Print next steps

Run Get-Help .\Initialize-Module.ps1 -Full to see all available parameters.

3 — Commit and start building

git add -A
git commit -m "feat: initialize YourModuleName module"
git push

Then add your functions to YourModuleName/YourModuleName.psm1, export them in the manifest's FunctionsToExport, and write tests.

Development

Prerequisites

• PowerShell 7+
• Pester 5.x (Install-Module Pester -MinimumVersion 5.0 -Scope CurrentUser)

Running tests

Invoke-Pester ./tests

Repository layout

psmodule-template/
├── MyModule/
│   ├── MyModule.psd1            # Module manifest (placeholder GUID/names)
│   └── MyModule.psm1            # Module skeleton
├── tests/
│   └── MyModule.Tests.ps1       # Pester test skeleton
├── Initialize-Module.ps1        # One-shot setup script
├── .github/workflows/test.yml   # CI: Pester on windows-latest
└── README.md

After running Initialize-Module.ps1 every MyModule occurrence is replaced with your chosen module name.