Setting up the AWS CLI (original) (raw)
This topic explains how to quickly configure basic settings that the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) uses to interact with AWS. These include your security credentials, the default output format, and the default AWS Region.
Topics
- Gather your credential information for programmatic access
- Setting up new configuration and credentials
- Using existing configuration and credentials files
Gather your credential information for programmatic access
You'll need programmatic access if you want to interact with AWS outside of the AWS Management Console. For authentication and credential instructions, choose one of the following options:
Setting up new configuration and credentials
The AWS CLI stores your configuration and credential information in a profile (a collection of settings) in thecredentials and config files.
There are primarily two methods to quickly get setup:
The following examples use sample values for each of the authentication methods. Replace sample values with your own.
Configuring using AWS CLI commands
For general use, the aws configure or aws configure sso commands in your preferred terminal are the fastest way to set up your AWS CLI installation. Based on the credential method you prefer, the AWS CLI prompts you for the relevant information. By default, the information in this profile is used when you run an AWS CLI command that doesn't explicitly specify a profile to use.
For more information on the credentials andconfig files, see Configuration and credential file settings in the AWS CLI.
IAM Identity Center (SSO)
This example is for AWS IAM Identity Center using the aws configure sso wizard. For more information, see Configuring IAM Identity Center authentication with the AWS CLI.
$ aws configure sso
SSO session name (Recommended): my-sso
SSO start URL [None]: https://my-sso-portal.awsapps.com/start
SSO region [None]:us-east-1
Attempting to automatically open the SSO authorization page in your default browser.
There are 2 AWS accounts available to you.
> DeveloperAccount, developer-account-admin@example.com (111122223333)
ProductionAccount, production-account-admin@example.com (444455556666)
Using the account ID 111122223333
There are 2 roles available to you.
> ReadOnly
FullAccess
Using the role name "ReadOnly"
CLI default client Region [None]: us-west-2
CLI default output format [None]: json
CLI profile name [123456789011_ReadOnly]: user1IAM Identity Center (Legacy SSO)
This example is for the legacy method of AWS IAM Identity Center using the aws configure sso wizard. To use the legacy SSO, leave the session name blank. For more information, see Configuring IAM Identity Center authentication with the AWS CLI.
$ aws configure sso
SSO session name (Recommended):
SSO start URL [None]: https://my-sso-portal.awsapps.com/start
SSO region [None]:us-east-1
SSO authorization page has automatically been opened in your default browser.
Follow the instructions in the browser to complete this authorization request.
There are 2 AWS accounts available to you.
> DeveloperAccount, developer-account-admin@example.com (111122223333)
ProductionAccount, production-account-admin@example.com (444455556666)
Using the account ID 111122223333
There are 2 roles available to you.
> ReadOnly
FullAccess
Using the role name "ReadOnly"
CLI default client Region [None]: us-west-2
CLI default output format [None]: json
CLI profile name [123456789011_ReadOnly]: user1Short-term credentials
This example is for the short-term credentials from AWS Identity and Access Management. The aws configure wizard is used to set initial values and then the aws configure set command assigns the last value needed. For more information, see Authenticating with short-term credentials for the AWS CLI.
$ aws configure
AWS Access Key ID [None]: AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE
AWS Secret Access Key [None]: wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY
Default region name [None]: us-west-2
Default output format [None]: json
$ aws configure set aws_session_token fcZib3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZVERYLONGSTRINGEXAMPLEIAM role
This example is for assuming an IAM role. Profiles that use IAM roles pull credentials from another profile, and then apply IAM role permissions. In the following examples,default is the source profile for credentials and user1 borrows the same credentials then assumes a new role. There is no wizard for this process, therefore each value is set using the aws configure set command. For more information, see Using an IAM role in the AWS CLI.
$ aws configure set role_arn arn:aws:iam::123456789012:role/defaultrole
$ aws configure set source_profile default
$ aws configure set role_session_name session_user1
$ aws configure set region us-west-2
$ aws configure set output jsonAmazon EC2 instance metadata credentials
This example is for the credentials obtained from the hosting Amazon EC2 instance metadata. There is no wizard for this process, therefore each value is set using the aws configure set command. For more information, see Using Amazon EC2 instance metadata as credentials in the AWS CLI.
$ aws configure set role_arn arn:aws:iam::123456789012:role/defaultrole
$ aws configure set credential_source Ec2InstanceMetadata
$ aws configure set region us-west-2
$ aws configure set output jsonLong-term credentials
Warning
To avoid security risks, don't use IAM users for authentication when developing purpose-built software or working with real data. Instead, use federation with an identity provider such asAWS IAM Identity Center.
This example is for the long-term credentials from AWS Identity and Access Management. For more information, seeAuthenticating using IAM user credentials for the AWS CLI.
$ aws configure
AWS Access Key ID [None]: AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE
AWS Secret Access Key [None]: wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY
Default region name [None]: us-west-2
Default output format [None]: jsonFor more detailed information on authentication and credential methods see Authentication and access credentials for the AWS CLI.
Manually editing the credentials and config files
When copy and pasting information, we suggest manually editing theconfig and credentials file. Based on the credential method you prefer, the files are setup in a different way.
The files are stored in your home directory under the .aws folder. Where you find your home directory location varies based on the operating system, but is referred to using the environment variables%UserProfile% in Windows and $HOME or ~ (tilde) in Unix-based systems. For more information on where these settings are stored, see Where are configuration settings stored?.
The following examples show a default profile and a profile nameduser1 and use sample values. Replace sample values with your own. For more information on the credentials andconfig files, see Configuration and credential file settings in the AWS CLI.
IAM Identity Center (SSO)
This example is for AWS IAM Identity Center. For more information, see Configuring IAM Identity Center authentication with the AWS CLI.
Credentials file
The credentials file is not used for this authentication method.
Config file
[default]
sso_session = my-sso
sso_account_id = 111122223333
sso_role_name = readOnly
region = us-west-2
output = text
[profile user1]
sso_session = my-sso
sso_account_id = 444455556666
sso_role_name = readOnly
region = us-east-1
output = json
[sso-session my-sso]
sso_region = us-east-1
sso_start_url = https://my-sso-portal.awsapps.com/start
sso_registration_scopes = sso:account:accessIAM Identity Center (Legacy SSO)
This example is for the legacy method of AWS IAM Identity Center. For more information, see Configuring IAM Identity Center authentication with the AWS CLI.
Credentials file
The credentials file is not used for this authentication method.
Config file
[default]
sso_start_url = https://my-sso-portal.awsapps.com/start
sso_region = us-east-1
sso_account_id = 111122223333
sso_role_name = readOnly
region = us-west-2
output = text
[profile user1]
sso_start_url = https://my-sso-portal.awsapps.com/start
sso_region = us-east-1
sso_account_id = 444455556666
sso_role_name = readOnly
region = us-east-1
output = jsonShort-term credentials
This example is for the short-term credentials from AWS Identity and Access Management. For more information, seeAuthenticating with short-term credentials for the AWS CLI.
Credentials file
[default]
aws_access_key_id=ASIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE
aws_secret_access_key=wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY
aws_session_token = IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZVERYLONGSTRINGEXAMPLE
[user1]
aws_access_key_id=ASIAI44QH8DHBEXAMPLE
aws_secret_access_key=je7MtGbClwBF/2Zp9Utk/h3yCo8nvbEXAMPLEKEY
aws_session_token = fcZib3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZVERYLONGSTRINGEXAMPLEConfig file
[default]
region=us-west-2
output=json
[profile user1]
region=us-east-1
output=textIAM role
This example is for assuming an IAM role. Profiles that use IAM roles pull credentials from another profile, and then apply IAM role permissions. In the following examples,default is the source profile for credentials and user1 borrows the same credentials then assumes a new role. For more information, see Using an IAM role in the AWS CLI.
Credentials file
The credentials file depends on what authentication your source profile uses. For the following example, the source profile uses short-term credentials.
[default]
aws_access_key_id=ASIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE
aws_secret_access_key=wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY
aws_session_token = IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZ2luX2IQoJb3JpZVERYLONGSTRINGEXAMPLEConfig file
[default]
region=us-west-2
output=json
[profile user1]
role_arn=arn:aws:iam::777788889999:role/user1role
source_profile=default
role_session_name=session_user1
region=us-east-1
output=textAmazon EC2 instance metadata credentials
This example is for the credentials obtained from the hosting Amazon EC2 instance metadata. For more information, see Using Amazon EC2 instance metadata as credentials in the AWS CLI.
Credentials file
The credentials file is not used for this authentication method.
Config file
[default]
role_arn=arn:aws:iam::123456789012:role/defaultrole
credential_source=Ec2InstanceMetadata
region=us-west-2
output=json
[profile user1]
role_arn=arn:aws:iam::777788889999:role/user1role
credential_source=Ec2InstanceMetadata
region=us-east-1
output=textLong-term credentials
Warning
To avoid security risks, don't use IAM users for authentication when developing purpose-built software or working with real data. Instead, use federation with an identity provider such asAWS IAM Identity Center.
This example is for the long-term credentials from AWS Identity and Access Management. For more information, seeAuthenticating using IAM user credentials for the AWS CLI.
Credentials file
[default]
aws_access_key_id=AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE
aws_secret_access_key=wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY
[user1]
aws_access_key_id=AKIAI44QH8DHBEXAMPLE
aws_secret_access_key=je7MtGbClwBF/2Zp9Utk/h3yCo8nvbEXAMPLEKEYConfig file
[default]
region=us-west-2
output=json
[profile user1]
region=us-east-1
output=textFor more detailed information on authentication and credential methods see Authentication and access credentials for the AWS CLI.
Using existing configuration and credentials files
If you have existing configuration and credentials files, these can be used for the AWS CLI.
To use the config and credentials files, move them to the folder named .aws in your home directory. Where you find your home directory location varies based on the operating system, but is referred to using the environment variables %UserProfile% in Windows and$HOME or ~ (tilde) in Unix-based systems.
You can specify a non-default location for the config andcredentials files by setting the AWS_CONFIG_FILE and AWS_SHARED_CREDENTIALS_FILE environment variables to another local path. See Configuring environment variables for the AWS CLI for details.
For more detailed information on configuration and credentials files, see Configuration and credential file settings in the AWS CLI.