Install and Configure AWS CLI¶

The AWS CLI is a command-line tool that enables users to manage AWS services directly from the command line, offering a flexible and efficient way to create, configure, and interact with AWS resources.

Let's see how you can install the AWS CLI on your operating system and configure it to access resources in AWS.

Step 1: Install AWS CLI¶

Install AWS CLI on Mac¶

1. Download the installation file using the curl command:

   curl "https://awscli.amazonaws.com/AWSCLIV2.pkg" -o "AWSCLIV2.pkg"
   

2. Run the standard macOS installer program, specifying the downloaded .pkg file as the source:

   sudo installer -pkg AWSCLIV2.pkg -target /
   

3. Verify the installation:

   # Verify that the shell can find and run the aws command in your $PATH
   which aws
   
   # Check AWS CLI version
   aws --version
   

Install AWS CLI on Windows¶

1. Download and run AWS CLI MSI insatller

   To install AWS CLI on Windows you can just download and run the AWS CLI MSI installer for Windows (64-bit).

2. Verify the installation:

   # Check AWS CLI version
   aws --version
   

Install AWS CLI on Linux x86 (64-bit)¶

1. Download the installation file:

   curl "https://awscli.amazonaws.com/awscli-exe-linux-x86_64.zip" -o "awscliv2.zip"
   

2. Unzip the installer:

   unzip awscliv2.zip
   

3. Run the installation program:

   sudo ./aws/install
   

4. Verify the installation:

   # Verify that the shell can find and run the aws command in your $PATH
   which aws
   
   # Check AWS CLI version
   aws --version
   

Install AWS CLI on Linux ARM¶

1. Download the installation file:

   curl "https://awscli.amazonaws.com/awscli-exe-linux-aarch64.zip" -o "awscliv2.zip"
   

2. Unzip the installer:

   unzip awscliv2.zip
   

3. Run the installation program:

   sudo ./aws/install
   

4. Verify the installation:

   # Verify that the shell can find and run the aws command in your $PATH
   which aws
   
   # Check AWS CLI version
   aws --version
   

Step 2: Configure AWS CLI¶

Just installing the AWS CLI won't grant you access to AWS resources. To interact with AWS services, you must configure it by providing your AWS credentials.

Below are the steps you can follow to configure the AWS CLI:

1. Create an AWS IAM user with programmatic access and download the access credentials (access key ID and secret access key).

2. Give the IAM user the necessary permissions. To keep it simple, we'll grant Administrator access to the user.

   Warning

   It's important to note that while we've simplified the process by granting Administrator access for convenience, it's generally recommended to provide more granular and specific permissions to IAM users based on their actual needs. This helps reduce potential security risks and ensures a more controlled and secure environment.

3. Configure the AWS CLI:

   # Command template
   aws configure --profile <aws-profile-name>
   
   # Actual command
   aws configure --profile my-aws-account
   

   You'll be prompted to enter AWS Access Key ID and AWS Secret Access Key and the Default region name this profile will use.

   Warning

   If you don't specify the --profile parameter, the AWS CLI will use the default profile. To enhance configuration and security, it's advisable to use a named profile when configuring the AWS CLI.

   Using a named profile also enables you to configure multiple AWS accounts with different settings.

Step 3: Use AWS CLI to Access Resources in AWS¶

Now that we have configured the AWS CLI, let's explore how you can use it to access resources in your AWS account.

For instance, you can list S3 buckets using the following AWS CLI command:

aws s3 ls --profile <aws-profile-name>

You can also export the AWS_PROFILE environment variable and then call aws command without passing --profile parameter.

1. Export the AWS_PROFILE environment variable:

   export AWS_PROFILE=my-aws-account
   

2. Run AWS CLI command:

   aws s3 ls