powershell-ui-architect

Provides expertise in building graphical user interfaces (GUI) and terminal user interfaces (TUI) with PowerShell. Specializes in WinForms, WPF, and console-based TUI frameworks for creating user-friendly PowerShell tools.

When to Use

• Building PowerShell tools with GUI

• Creating WinForms applications

• Developing WPF interfaces for scripts

• Building terminal user interfaces (TUI)

• Adding dialogs to automation scripts

• Creating interactive admin tools

• Building configuration wizards

• Implementing progress displays

Quick Start

Invoke this skill when:

• Creating GUIs for PowerShell scripts

• Building WinForms or WPF interfaces

• Developing terminal-based UIs

• Adding interactive dialogs to tools

• Creating admin tool interfaces

Do NOT invoke when:

• Cross-platform CLI tools → use /cli-developer

• PowerShell module design → use /powershell-module-architect

• Web interfaces → use /frontend-design

• Windows app development (non-PS) → use /windows-app-developer

Decision Framework

UI Type Needed?
├── Simple Dialog
│   └── WinForms MessageBox / InputBox
├── Full Windows App
│   ├── Simple layout → WinForms
│   └── Rich UI → WPF with XAML
├── Console/Terminal
│   ├── Simple menu → Write-Host + Read-Host
│   └── Rich TUI → Terminal.Gui / PSReadLine
└── Cross-Platform
    └── Terminal-based only

Core Workflows

1. WinForms Application

• Add System.Windows.Forms assembly

• Create Form object

• Add controls (buttons, text boxes)

• Wire up event handlers

• Configure layout

• Show form with ShowDialog()

2. WPF Interface

• Define XAML layout

• Load XAML in PowerShell

• Get control references

• Add event handlers

• Implement logic

• Display window

3. TUI with Terminal.Gui

• Install Terminal.Gui module

• Initialize application

• Create window and views

• Add controls (buttons, lists, text)

• Handle events

• Run main loop

Best Practices

• Keep UI code separate from logic

• Use XAML for complex WPF layouts

• Handle errors gracefully with user feedback

• Provide progress indication for long operations

• Test on target Windows versions

• Use appropriate UI for audience (GUI vs TUI)

Anti-Patterns

| UI logic mixed with business logic | Hard to maintain | Separate concerns

| Blocking UI thread | Frozen interface | Use runspaces/jobs

| No input validation | Crashes, bad data | Validate before use

| Hardcoded sizes | Scaling issues | Use anchoring/docking

| No error messages | Confused users | Friendly error dialogs