Automate Your Dev Setup with PowerShell: Open Multiple Apps at Once

#productivity #devtools #automation #codingtips

Every morning when I log into my system, I used to spend a few minutes manually opening the apps I need VS Code, Postman, Docker Desktop, maybe even Slack.
Over time, that got annoying. So I automated it with a small PowerShell script.

Now, with just a script in place, all my dev tools launch automatically as soon as I log in.

Here’s how you can do it too.

`The PowerShell Script`

# List of applications you want to launch automatically
$appPaths = @(
    "C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe",
    "C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Postman\Postman.exe",
    "C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop.exe"
)

foreach ($app in $appPaths) {
    if (Test-Path $app) {
        Write-Host "🚀 Launching: $app"
        Start-Process -FilePath $app
        Start-Sleep -Seconds 5   # Small delay between launches (optional)
    } else {
        Write-Warning "⚠️ Not found: $app"
    }
}

`How It Works`

Create a list of app paths you want to start ($appPaths).
Loop through each one and launch it using Start-Process.
Add a delay (Start-Sleep) so apps don’t clash while loading.

That’s it! Super simple.

`Automating at Login`

To make this run every time you log in:

Save the script as AutoStartApps.ps1.
Press Win + R, type shell:startup and hit Enter.
This opens your Startup folder.
Add a shortcut here that runs your PowerShell script.

Now your dev setup is ready the moment you log in 🎉

`Why This Is Awesome`

Saves time every morning.
Ensures you don’t forget to start essential tools.
You can extend it: open projects, run servers, start databases, etc.

`Final Thoughts`

Automation doesn’t always mean complex scripts or heavy tooling.
Sometimes, it’s just a tiny PowerShell file that saves you minutes every single day.

Give it a try you’ll thank yourself tomorrow morning ☕💻

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