Want to control your AWS cloud like a pro? The AWS CLI is your ultimate tool—fast, flexible, and fully automated. This guide unlocks everything you need to know to dominate cloud management from the command line.
What Is AWS CLI and Why It’s a Game-Changer
The AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) is a powerful, unified tool that allows developers, system administrators, and DevOps engineers to interact with Amazon Web Services directly from a terminal or script. Instead of navigating the AWS Management Console with a mouse, you can use simple commands to manage EC2 instances, S3 buckets, Lambda functions, and hundreds of other AWS resources.
Developed and maintained by Amazon, the AWS CLI is built on top of AWS APIs, giving you programmatic access to nearly every AWS service. It’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it a cross-platform powerhouse for cloud automation.
Core Features of AWS CLI
The AWS CLI isn’t just a command tool—it’s a full-featured interface designed for efficiency and scalability. Here are some of its standout features:
Unified Interface: One tool to manage over 200 AWS services.Scriptable Automation: Write shell scripts to automate repetitive tasks like backups, deployments, or scaling.JSON Output Support: Get structured responses for easy parsing in scripts or pipelines.Integration with IAM: Secure access using AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles and policies.Configurable Profiles: Manage multiple AWS accounts and environments (dev, staging, prod) seamlessly.
.”The AWS CLI is the Swiss Army knife of cloud management—compact, powerful, and indispensable.” — AWS Certified Solutions Architect
How AWS CLI Compares to AWS Console and SDKs
While the AWS Management Console offers a user-friendly GUI, it’s often slow for bulk operations.The AWS CLI, on the other hand, excels in speed and repeatability.For example, launching 10 EC2 instances via the console requires clicking through wizards 10 times.With the AWS CLI, it’s a single command or a loop in a script..
Compared to AWS SDKs (like boto3 for Python), the CLI is simpler to use for one-off tasks or system-level automation. SDKs are better suited for embedding AWS functionality inside applications, while the CLI is ideal for infrastructure management, CI/CD pipelines, and debugging.
Learn more about the differences in the official AWS CLI documentation.
Installing and Configuring AWS CLI
Before you can harness the power of the AWS CLI, you need to install and configure it properly. The process varies slightly depending on your operating system, but the end goal is the same: a working CLI that can authenticate and communicate with your AWS account.
Installation on Windows, macOS, and Linux
Windows: The easiest way is to download the MSI installer from the AWS website. Alternatively, you can use package managers like Chocolatey:
choco install awsclimacOS: Use Homebrew for a quick install:
brew install awscliOr download the bundled installer from AWS.
Linux: Most distributions support pip (Python package manager):
pip3 install awscli --upgrade --userEnsure Python 3 and pip are installed first. For Amazon Linux 2, AWS CLI is often pre-installed.
For detailed instructions, visit the AWS CLI installation guide.
Setting Up AWS Credentials with Configure Command
After installation, run:
aws configureThis prompts you for four key pieces of information:
- AWS Access Key ID
- AWS Secret Access Key
- Default region name (e.g., us-east-1)
- Default output format (json, text, or table)
These credentials are stored in ~/.aws/credentials, and the config settings go into ~/.aws/config. Never hardcode credentials in scripts—use IAM roles or environment variables for better security.
Using Named Profiles for Multiple Accounts
If you manage multiple AWS accounts (e.g., development, production, personal), use named profiles:
aws configure --profile devThen, specify the profile when running commands:
aws s3 ls --profile devThis keeps your environments isolated and reduces the risk of accidental changes in production. You can also set a default profile using the AWS_DEFAULT_PROFILE environment variable.
Mastering Basic AWS CLI Commands
Once configured, you can start using the AWS CLI to interact with services. The basic syntax is:
aws [service] [operation] [options]For example:
aws s3 lsThis lists all S3 buckets in your default region.
Navigating S3 with AWS CLI
Amazon S3 is one of the most commonly used services with the CLI. Here are essential commands:
aws s3 ls– List bucketsaws s3 ls s3://my-bucket– List objects in a bucketaws s3 cp file.txt s3://my-bucket/– Upload a fileaws s3 sync ./local-folder s3://my-bucket/– Sync a folderaws s3 rm s3://my-bucket/file.txt– Delete a file
The sync command is especially powerful—it only transfers changed files, making it ideal for backups and deployments.
Managing EC2 Instances via Command Line
EC2 is AWS’s virtual server service. You can launch, stop, and manage instances using the CLI:
aws ec2 describe-instances– View all running instancesaws ec2 start-instances --instance-ids i-1234567890abcdef0– Start an instanceaws ec2 stop-instances --instance-ids i-1234567890abcdef0– Stop an instanceaws ec2 run-instances --image-id ami-0abcdef1234567890 --count 1 --instance-type t3.micro --key-name MyKeyPair --security-group-ids sg-903004f8 --subnet-id subnet-6e7f829e– Launch a new instance
Use --query to filter output. For example, to get only instance IDs and states:
aws ec2 describe-instances --query 'Reservations[*].Instances[*].[InstanceId, State.Name]'Working with IAM and Security Credentials
IAM (Identity and Access Management) is critical for security. You can manage users, roles, and policies via the CLI:
aws iam list-users– List all IAM usersaws iam create-user --user-name alice– Create a new useraws iam attach-user-policy --user-name alice --policy-arn arn:aws:iam::aws:policy/AmazonS3ReadOnlyAccess– Grant S3 read accessaws iam create-access-key --user-name alice– Generate access keys
Always follow the principle of least privilege—grant only the permissions necessary for a task.
Advanced AWS CLI Techniques for Power Users
Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to level up. The AWS CLI offers advanced features that enable complex automation, filtering, and integration with other tools.
Using JMESPath for Output Filtering
JMESPath is a query language for JSON, built into the AWS CLI. It allows you to extract specific data from command output.
For example, to get only the public IP addresses of running EC2 instances:
aws ec2 describe-instances --query 'Reservations[*].Instances[*].PublicIpAddress' --output jsonYou can also use filters:
aws ec2 describe-instances --filters "Name=instance-state-name,Values=running"Combine both for powerful queries:
aws ec2 describe-instances --filters "Name=instance-state-name,Values=running" --query 'Reservations[*].Instances[*].[InstanceId, PublicIpAddress]' --output tableThis outputs a clean table of running instance IDs and IPs.
Scripting with AWS CLI in Bash and Python
The real power of the AWS CLI shines in automation. Here’s a simple Bash script to back up a folder to S3 daily:
#!/bin/bash
DATE=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
aws s3 sync /home/user/data s3://my-backup-bucket/daily-$DATESchedule it with cron:
0 2 * * * /home/user/backup.shIn Python, you can call AWS CLI commands using subprocess:
import subprocess
result = subprocess.run(['aws', 's3', 'ls'], capture_output=True, text=True)
print(result.stdout)However, for deeper integration, consider using boto3 instead.
Leveraging AWS CLI with CI/CD Pipelines
The AWS CLI is a staple in CI/CD workflows. Whether you’re using Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or AWS CodePipeline, the CLI enables deployment, testing, and rollback automation.
Example: Deploy a static website to S3 via GitHub Actions:
steps:
- name: Configure AWS Credentials
uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v1
with:
aws-access-key-id: ${{ secrets.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
aws-secret-access-key: ${{ secrets.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
aws-region: us-east-1
- name: Deploy to S3
run: aws s3 sync build/ s3://my-website-bucket --deleteThis ensures your site is always up-to-date with the latest code push.
Best Practices for Secure and Efficient AWS CLI Usage
With great power comes great responsibility. Misuse of the AWS CLI can lead to security breaches, data loss, or unexpected costs. Follow these best practices to stay safe and efficient.
Securing Your AWS CLI with IAM Roles and Policies
Never use root account credentials with the AWS CLI. Instead, create IAM users with minimal permissions. Use IAM roles when running CLI commands from EC2 instances—this eliminates the need to store access keys.
Create custom policies tailored to your needs. For example, a backup script should only have S3 read/write access, not full EC2 control.
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for users who have CLI access, especially those with admin privileges.
Managing Costs and Avoiding Accidental Charges
The AWS CLI makes it easy to spin up resources—but also easy to forget to shut them down. Always:
- Use descriptive names and tags for resources.
- Set up billing alerts via AWS Budgets.
- Automate shutdown of non-production instances using Lambda and CloudWatch Events.
- Use
aws ec2 describe-instancesregularly to audit running resources.
Consider using AWS Cost Explorer to analyze spending patterns driven by CLI usage.
Version Control and Configuration Management
Treat your AWS CLI configurations and scripts like code. Store them in a version control system like Git. This allows you to track changes, collaborate with teams, and roll back if something goes wrong.
Use infrastructure-as-code tools like AWS CloudFormation or Terraform alongside the CLI for reproducible environments.
Troubleshooting Common AWS CLI Issues
Even experienced users run into problems. Here are common issues and how to fix them.
Authentication and Permission Errors
If you see InvalidClientTokenId or AccessDenied, check:
- Are your credentials correct and not expired?
- Is the IAM user or role attached to the correct policies?
- Are you using the right profile (
--profile)? - Is MFA required but not provided?
Use aws sts get-caller-identity to verify which identity you’re using.
Region and Endpoint Mismatch Problems
If a resource isn’t found, it might be in a different region. Always specify the region:
aws s3 ls --region us-west-2You can also set the default region in ~/.aws/config or via AWS_DEFAULT_REGION environment variable.
Handling Rate Limits and API Throttling
AWS APIs have rate limits. If you get ThrottlingException, slow down your requests or use exponential backoff in scripts.
The AWS CLI automatically retries throttled requests up to a limit. You can customize retry behavior using the --cli-connect-timeout and --cli-read-timeout options.
Integrating AWS CLI with Other DevOps Tools
The AWS CLI doesn’t work in isolation. It’s most powerful when integrated with other DevOps tools.
Using AWS CLI with Terraform and CloudFormation
While Terraform and CloudFormation manage infrastructure as code, the AWS CLI can validate templates or fetch outputs.
For example, validate a CloudFormation template:
aws cloudformation validate-template --template-body file://template.yamlOr get an output value:
aws cloudformation describe-stacks --stack-name my-stack --query 'Stacks[0].Outputs[?OutputKey==`WebsiteURL`].OutputValue' --output textCombining AWS CLI with Docker and Kubernetes
When running containers on Amazon ECS or EKS, the AWS CLI helps manage task definitions, clusters, and images.
Push a Docker image to Amazon ECR:
aws ecr get-login-password --region us-east-1 | docker login --username AWS --password-stdin 123456789012.dkr.ecr.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
aws ecr create-repository --repository-name my-app
docker build -t my-app .
docker tag my-app:latest 123456789012.dkr.ecr.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/my-app:latest
docker push 123456789012.dkr.ecr.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/my-app:latestMonitoring and Logging with AWS CLI and CloudWatch
Use the AWS CLI to interact with CloudWatch for monitoring:
aws cloudwatch list-metrics– List available metricsaws cloudwatch get-metric-statistics --metric-name CPUUtilization --start-time 2023-10-01T00:00:00Z --end-time 2023-10-02T00:00:00Z --period 3600 --statistics Average --namespace AWS/EC2 --dimensions Name=InstanceId,Value=i-1234567890abcdef0aws logs describe-log-groups– List CloudWatch Log groupsaws logs tail /aws/lambda/my-function --since 5m– Stream recent logs (requiresawslogsplugin)
This is invaluable for debugging and performance analysis.
Future of AWS CLI: Trends and Upcoming Features
The AWS CLI is constantly evolving. AWS regularly adds support for new services and features.
AWS CLI v2 vs v1: What’s New and Improved
AWS CLI v2, released in 2020, brings several enhancements over v1:
- Improved installation: Bundled installer, no Python dependency.
- Interactive mode: Type
aws-cli --interactivefor auto-completion and guided workflows. - Sts assume-role integration: Automatically refresh temporary credentials.
- Improved error messages: More descriptive and actionable.
- Docker image available: Run AWS CLI in containers without installing it.
If you’re still on v1, upgrade to v2 for better performance and usability.
Emerging Use Cases in Serverless and AI
As serverless computing (Lambda, API Gateway) and AI services (SageMaker, Rekognition) grow, the AWS CLI is becoming essential for managing these workloads.
For example, deploy a Lambda function:
aws lambda create-function --function-name my-function --runtime python3.9 --role arn:aws:iam::123456789012:role/lambda-role --handler lambda_function.lambda_handler --zip-file fileb://function.zipOr invoke it:
aws lambda invoke --function-name my-function --payload '{"name": "John"}' response.jsonHow AWS CLI Fits into the Broader Cloud-Native Ecosystem
The AWS CLI is part of a larger shift toward cloud-native development. It integrates seamlessly with tools like Kubernetes, Prometheus, Grafana, and GitOps workflows.
As organizations adopt multi-cloud and hybrid strategies, AWS CLI skills remain valuable for managing AWS components within complex architectures.
Explore the future of cloud automation in the AWS Developer Blog.
What is AWS CLI used for?
The AWS CLI is used to manage AWS services from the command line. It allows users to automate tasks, manage resources like EC2 instances and S3 buckets, and integrate AWS into scripts and CI/CD pipelines.
How do I install AWS CLI on Linux?
On Linux, install AWS CLI using pip: pip3 install awscli --upgrade --user. Ensure Python 3 and pip are installed first. Verify with aws --version.
Can I use AWS CLI with multiple accounts?
Yes, use named profiles with aws configure --profile profile-name. Then specify the profile with --profile in commands.
Is AWS CLI free to use?
Yes, the AWS CLI tool itself is free. You only pay for the AWS resources you create or use through it, such as EC2 instances or S3 storage.
How do I update AWS CLI to version 2?
Download the bundled installer from AWS or use package managers. On macOS with Homebrew: brew upgrade awscli. On Linux, follow the official upgrade guide.
Mastering the AWS CLI is a critical skill for anyone working in the cloud. From simple file uploads to complex automation workflows, it offers unmatched control and efficiency. By following best practices, securing your access, and integrating it with modern DevOps tools, you can unlock the full potential of AWS. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, continuous learning and experimentation with the AWS CLI will keep you ahead in the fast-evolving world of cloud computing.
Further Reading:
