DOSKEY also added a macro expansion facility, though special support was required before applications such as command line processors could take advantage of it.

Starting with Novell DOS 7 in 1993, the macro capabilities were provided by an external DOSKEY command as well.

Numerous third-party programs have been written to address the issue; many were available long before Microsoft supplied DOSKEY.

Some of them, including JP Software's 4DOS and NDOS, also provide additional editing capabilities lacking in DOSKEY, such as filename completion.

Some of the better-known DOSKEY alternatives are Jack Gersbach's DOSEDIT, Chris Dunford's CED, Sverre Huseby's DOSED, Ashok Nadkarni's CMDEDIT, Steven Calwas's ANARKEY, Eric Tauck's TODDY, and enhanced DOSKEY written by Paul Houle.