Batch Builtin Commands

The set of portable commands.

Contents

Commands

Commands	Description	Example
`assoc`
`break`	No-op; legacy from MS-DOS
`call`
`cd`	Alias of `chdir`
`chdir`	Changes working directory; if no argument supplied, prints the current working directory
`cls`	Clears the screen
`color`	Sets the background and foreground colors
`copy`	Copies one or more files; if the destination is not provided, the current working directory is used
`del`	Deletes one or more files
`dir`	Lists the contents of a directory
`date`	Outputs the system date
`echo`	Writes a message
`endlocal`	Ends local scoping of environment variables
`erase`	Alias of `del`
`exit`	Immediately exits the current shell
`ftype`
`goto`
`md`	Alias of `mkdir`
`mkdir`	Creates a directory
`mklink`	Creates a symbolic link
`move`	Moves one or more files; if the destination is not provided, the current working directory is used
`path`	Outputs or sets the value of `%PATH%`
`pause`	Prompts the user for input before continuing
`popd`
`prompt`
`pushd`
`rd`	Alias of `rmdir`
`ren`	Alias of `rename`
`rename`	Renames one or more files
`rem`
`rmdir`	Delete one or more directories
`set`	Outputs or sets environment variables
`setlocal`	Causes all subsequent changes to environment variables to be locally scoped
`shift`	Renames the positional variables; `%2` becomes `%1`, etc.
`start`
`time`	Outputs the system date
`title`
`type`
`ver`	Prints the operating system version
`verify`
`vol`	Lists volume names

copy and rename can take wildcard patterns to bulk rename files.

copy *.txt *.bak

To disable echoing, try:

@echo off

To prompt a user for a value, try:

set /p x=type a number:

To perform basic arithmetic, try:

set /a y=%x% + 1

Valid arithmetic operators are:

Valid colors background and foreground colors are:

Some parts of the language are technically implemented as a command.

See here for if and else.

See here for for.