PowerShell and STSADM command comparation

First of all, we need to clarify that PowerShell command is only available for SharePoint since SharePoint 2010, we can only use Stsadm for previous versions of SharePoint.

If you are using a normal PowerShell console instead of “SharePoint Management Shell”, you may need to register snapin of SharePoint, there are two ways to register:

Option 1:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\Config\PowerShell\Registration\SharePoint.ps1

Note: 14 is SharePoint version number
* 14 – SharePoint 2010
* 15 – SharePoint 2013

Option 2:

Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell

Basic SharePoint deployment scripts comparison

1. Add solution
   • Stsadm

   stsadm –o addsolution –filename "C:\WSPs\MySharePointSolution.wsp"
   

   • PowerShell

   Add-SPSolution "C:\WSPs\MySharePointSolution.wsp"
   

2. Deploy solution
   • Stsadm

   stsadm –o deploysolution –name MySharePointSolution.wsp –url http://spwebapp –allowgacdeployment –immediate
   

   • PowerShell

   Install-SPSolution –Identity MySharePointSolution.wsp –WebApplication http://spwebapp –GACDeployment
   

   Note: Use Install-SPUserSolution for sandboxsolution

3. Upgrade solution (only use this command when there is no new features)
   • Stsadm

   stsadm –o upgradesolution –name MySharePointSolution.wsp –filename "C:\WSPs\MySharePointSolution.wsp" –immediate
   

   • PowerShell

   Update-SPSolution –Identity MySharePointSolution.wsp –LiteralPath "C:\WSPs\MySharePointSolution.wsp" –GacDeployment
   

4. Retract solution
   • Stsadm

   stsadm –o retractsolution –name MySharePointSolution.wsp –url http://spwebapp –immediatestsadm –o
   

   • PowerShell

   Uninstall-SPSolution –Identity MySharePointSolution.wsp –WebApplication http://spwebapp
   Add-SPSolution "C:\WSPs\MySharePointSolution.wsp"
   

5. Remove solution
   • Stsadm

   stsadm –o deletesolution –name MySharePointSolution.wsp
   

   • PowerShell

   Remove-SPSolution –Identity MySharePointSolution.wsp
   

6. Activate feature
   • Stsadm

   stsadm –o activatefeature –name MyFeatureName –url http://spwebapp
   

   • PowerShell

   Enable-SPFeature –Identity MyFeatureNameOrGuid –url http://spwebapp
   

7. Deactivate feature
   • Stsadm

   stsadm –o deactivatefeature –name MyFeatureName –url http://spwebapp
   

   • PowerShell

   Disable-SPFeature –Identity MyFeatureNameOrGuid –url http://spwebapp
   

Read more at Microsoft web site http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee906565(v=office.15).aspx

Reference: http://patrickboom.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/using-powershell-to-deploy-sharepoint-solutions-wsp-2/