aws-cli

Universal Command Line Interface for Amazon Web Services

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Quick Overview

The AWS CLI (Command Line Interface) is an open-source tool that enables users to interact with AWS services using commands in their command-line shell. It provides a unified interface to manage multiple AWS services from the terminal and can be used to automate AWS operations through scripts.

Pros

Simplifies management of AWS resources across multiple services
Supports automation through scripting and integration with other tools
Provides consistent interface across different operating systems
Regularly updated with new AWS service features

Cons

Steep learning curve for users new to command-line interfaces
Requires separate installation and configuration
May be overwhelming due to the large number of available commands and options
Performance can be slower compared to using AWS SDKs directly in application code

Code Examples

Listing S3 buckets:

aws s3 ls

Creating an EC2 instance:

aws ec2 run-instances --image-id ami-xxxxxxxx --count 1 --instance-type t2.micro --key-name MyKeyPair --security-group-ids sg-xxxxxxxx --subnet-id subnet-xxxxxxxx

Describing all running EC2 instances:

aws ec2 describe-instances --filters "Name=instance-state-name,Values=running" --query "Reservations[*].Instances[*].[InstanceId,InstanceType,PublicIpAddress,Tags[?Key=='Name'].Value|[0]]" --output table

Getting Started

Install the AWS CLI:
- On macOS: brew install awscli
- On Windows: Download and run the MSI installer from the AWS website
- On Linux: pip install awscli
Configure the AWS CLI:

aws configure

Enter your AWS Access Key ID, Secret Access Key, default region, and output format when prompted.

Verify the installation:

aws --version

Run your first command:

aws s3 ls

This will list all S3 buckets in your account if configured correctly.

Competitor Comparisons

cli

36,623

GitHub’s official command line tool

Pros of cli

More versatile, supporting multiple GitHub operations beyond just AWS services
Faster execution times for many operations
Better integration with GitHub-specific features and workflows

Cons of cli

Limited to GitHub-specific operations, not as broad in scope as aws-cli
May require more frequent updates to keep pace with GitHub's rapidly evolving features
Steeper learning curve for users not familiar with GitHub's ecosystem

Code Comparison

aws-cli example:

aws s3 cp myfile.txt s3://my-bucket/

cli example:

gh repo create my-new-repo --public
gh issue create --title "Bug report" --body "Description of the bug"

The aws-cli focuses on AWS service interactions, while cli provides GitHub-specific commands for repository and issue management. The cli commands are often more concise and tailored to GitHub workflows, whereas aws-cli covers a broader range of cloud services but with more verbose syntax.

azure-cli

3,956

Azure Command-Line Interface

Pros of azure-cli

More extensive documentation and examples in the repository
Better organized codebase with clear separation of concerns
More active community engagement and faster issue resolution

Cons of azure-cli

Larger codebase, potentially more complex to contribute to
Slower release cycle compared to aws-cli
Less comprehensive coverage of Azure services

Code Comparison

azure-cli:

from azure.cli.core import AzCommandsLoader
from azure.cli.core.commands import CliCommandType

class MyExtensionLoader(AzCommandsLoader):
    def load_command_table(self, args):
        custom_command_type = CliCommandType(operations_tmpl='{}#{}')
        with self.command_group('myextension', custom_command_type) as g:
            g.custom_command('dosomething', 'my_command_handler')

aws-cli:

import click
from awscli.clidriver import CLIDriver

@click.command()
@click.option('--option', help='Description of the option')
def my_command(option):
    cli = CLIDriver()
    cli.main(['my-service', 'my-operation', '--option', option])

The azure-cli example shows a more structured approach to adding commands, while the aws-cli example demonstrates a simpler, function-based method using the Click library for command-line interface creation.

terraform

42,146

Pros of Terraform

Multi-cloud support, allowing infrastructure management across various providers
Declarative syntax for defining infrastructure as code
Robust state management and resource tracking

Cons of Terraform

Steeper learning curve for users new to infrastructure as code
Potential for state drift if not managed carefully
Limited native support for some AWS-specific features

Code Comparison

Terraform:

resource "aws_instance" "example" {
  ami           = "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0"
  instance_type = "t2.micro"
}

AWS CLI:

aws ec2 run-instances \
  --image-id ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0 \
  --instance-type t2.micro

Terraform uses a declarative approach to define resources, while the AWS CLI uses imperative commands. Terraform's syntax is more readable and maintainable for complex infrastructure, but the AWS CLI offers more direct control over individual actions.

Both tools have their strengths: Terraform excels in managing infrastructure across multiple providers and maintaining state, while the AWS CLI provides a more straightforward interface for quick AWS-specific tasks and scripting. The choice between them depends on the project's scope, team expertise, and infrastructure complexity.

pulumi

20,922

Pulumi - Infrastructure as Code in any programming language 🚀

Pros of Pulumi

Supports multiple programming languages (Python, JavaScript, Go, etc.) for infrastructure as code
Offers a more flexible and powerful approach to infrastructure management
Provides better integration with existing development workflows and tools

Cons of Pulumi

Steeper learning curve for those familiar with declarative IaC tools
Requires more setup and configuration compared to AWS CLI
May have slower execution times for complex infrastructure deployments

Code Comparison

AWS CLI:

aws ec2 run-instances --image-id ami-xxxxxxxx --count 1 --instance-type t2.micro

Pulumi:

import pulumi_aws as aws

server = aws.ec2.Instance("webserver",
    instance_type="t2.micro",
    ami="ami-xxxxxxxx")

The AWS CLI example shows a simple command to launch an EC2 instance, while the Pulumi example demonstrates how to achieve the same result using Python code. Pulumi's approach allows for more complex logic and better integration with existing codebases, but may require more initial setup and familiarity with the chosen programming language.

kubectl

2,816

Issue tracker and mirror of kubectl code

Pros of kubectl

More versatile for managing multi-cloud and hybrid environments
Supports a wider range of container orchestration tasks
Extensive plugin ecosystem for extended functionality

Cons of kubectl

Steeper learning curve due to Kubernetes complexity
Requires more setup and configuration compared to AWS CLI
Limited to container-specific operations

Code Comparison

kubectl:

kubectl get pods
kubectl apply -f deployment.yaml
kubectl describe service my-service

AWS CLI:

aws ec2 describe-instances
aws s3 cp file.txt s3://my-bucket/
aws ecs list-tasks --cluster my-cluster

Summary

kubectl is designed specifically for Kubernetes cluster management, offering powerful container orchestration capabilities across various cloud providers. It excels in complex, multi-cloud environments but requires more expertise to use effectively.

AWS CLI, on the other hand, provides a broader range of AWS-specific services beyond just container management. It's easier to get started with for AWS users but is limited to the AWS ecosystem.

Both tools are essential for their respective domains, with kubectl being more specialized for container orchestration and AWS CLI offering wider AWS service coverage.

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README

aws-cli

.. image:: https://github.com/aws/aws-cli/actions/workflows/run-tests.yml/badge.svg :target: https://github.com/aws/aws-cli/actions/workflows/run-tests.yml :alt: Build Status

This package provides a unified command line interface to Amazon Web Services.

Jump to:

Getting Started <#getting-started>__
Getting Help <#getting-help>__
More Resources <#more-resources>__

Getting Started

This README is for the AWS CLI version 1. If you are looking for information about the AWS CLI version 2, please visit the v2 branch <https://github.com/aws/aws-cli/tree/v2>__.

Requirements


The aws-cli package works on Python versions:

-  3.8.x and greater
-  3.9.x and greater
-  3.10.x and greater
-  3.11.x and greater
-  3.12.x and greater

Notices
~~~~~~~

On 2022-05-30, support for Python 3.6 was ended. This follows the
Python Software Foundation `end of support <https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0494/#lifespan>`__
for the runtime which occurred on 2021-12-23.

On 2023-12-13, support for Python 3.7 was ended. This follows the
Python Software Foundation `end of support <https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0537/#lifespan>`__
for the runtime which occurred on 2023-06-27.
For more information, see this `blog post <https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/developer/python-support-policy-updates-for-aws-sdks-and-tools/>`__.

*Attention!*

*We recommend that all customers regularly monitor the* `Amazon Web
Services Security Bulletins
website <https://aws.amazon.com/security/security-bulletins>`__ *for
any important security bulletins related to aws-cli.*

Maintenance and Support for CLI Major Versions

The AWS CLI version 1 was made generally available on 09/02/2013 and is currently in the full support phase of the availability life cycle.

For information about maintenance and support for SDK major versions and their underlying dependencies, see the Maintenance Policy <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/credref/latest/refdocs/maint-policy.html>__ section in the AWS SDKs and Tools Shared Configuration and Credentials Reference Guide.

Installation


Installation of the AWS CLI and its dependencies use a range of packaging
features provided by ``pip`` and ``setuptools``. To ensure smooth installation,
it's recommended to use:

- ``pip``: 9.0.2 or greater
- ``setuptools``: 36.2.0 or greater

The safest way to install the AWS CLI is to use
`pip <https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/>`__ in a ``virtualenv``:

::

   $ python -m pip install awscli

or, if you are not installing in a ``virtualenv``, to install globally:

::

   $ sudo python -m pip install awscli

or for your user:

::

   $ python -m pip install --user awscli

If you have the aws-cli package installed and want to upgrade to the
latest version, you can run:

::

   $ python -m pip install --upgrade awscli

This will install the aws-cli package as well as all dependencies.

.. note::
   On macOS, if you see an error regarding the version of ``six`` that
   came with ``distutils`` in El Capitan, use the ``--ignore-installed``
   option:

::

   $ sudo python -m pip install awscli --ignore-installed six

On Linux and Mac OS, the AWS CLI can be installed using a `bundled
installer <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/install-linux.html#install-linux-bundled>`__.
The AWS CLI can also be installed on Windows via an `MSI
Installer <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/install-windows.html#msi-on-windows>`__.

If you want to run the ``develop`` branch of the AWS CLI, see the
`Development Version <CONTRIBUTING.md#cli-development-version>`__ section of
the contributing guide.

See the
`installation <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/install-cliv1.html>`__
section of the AWS CLI User Guide for more information.

Configuration

Before using the AWS CLI, you need to configure your AWS credentials. You can do this in several ways:

Configuration command
Environment variables
Shared credentials file
Config file
IAM Role

The quickest way to get started is to run the aws configure command:

$ aws configure AWS Access Key ID: MYACCESSKEY AWS Secret Access Key: MYSECRETKEY Default region name [us-west-2]: us-west-2 Default output format [None]: json

To use environment variables, do the following:

$ export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=<access_key> $ export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=<secret_key>

To use the shared credentials file, create an INI formatted file like this:

[default] aws_access_key_id=MYACCESSKEY aws_secret_access_key=MYSECRETKEY

[testing] aws_access_key_id=MYACCESSKEY aws_secret_access_key=MYSECRETKEY

and place it in ~/.aws/credentials (or in %UserProfile%\.aws/credentials on Windows). If you wish to place the shared credentials file in a different location than the one specified above, you need to tell aws-cli where to find it. Do this by setting the appropriate environment variable:

$ export AWS_SHARED_CREDENTIALS_FILE=/path/to/shared_credentials_file

To use a config file, create an INI formatted file like this:

[default] aws_access_key_id= aws_secret_access_key=

Optional, to define default region for this profile.

region=us-west-1

[profile testing] aws_access_key_id= aws_secret_access_key= region=us-west-2

and place it in ~/.aws/config (or in %UserProfile%\.aws\config on Windows). If you wish to place the config file in a different location than the one specified above, you need to tell the AWS CLI where to find it. Do this by setting the appropriate environment variable:

$ export AWS_CONFIG_FILE=/path/to/config_file

As you can see, you can have multiple profiles defined in both the shared credentials file and the configuration file. You can then specify which profile to use by using the --profile option. If no profile is specified the default profile is used.

In the config file, except for the default profile, you must prefix each config section of a profile group with profile. For example, if you have a profile named "testing" the section header would be [profile testing].

The final option for credentials is highly recommended if you are using the AWS CLI on an EC2 instance. IAM Roles <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/iam-roles-for-amazon-ec2.html>__ are a great way to have credentials installed automatically on your instance. If you are using IAM Roles, the AWS CLI will find and use them automatically.

In addition to credentials, a number of other variables can be configured either with environment variables, configuration file entries, or both. See the AWS Tools and SDKs Shared Configuration and Credentials Reference Guide <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/credref/latest/refdocs/overview.html>__ for more information.

For more information about configuration options, please refer to the AWS CLI Configuration Variables topic <http://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/topic/config-vars.html#cli-aws-help-config-vars>__. You can access this topic from the AWS CLI as well by running aws help config-vars.

Basic Commands


An AWS CLI command has the following structure:

::

   $ aws <command> <subcommand> [options and parameters]

For example, to list S3 buckets, the command would be:

::

   $ aws s3 ls

To view help documentation, use one of the following:

::

   $ aws help
   $ aws <command> help
   $ aws <command> <subcommand> help

To get the version of the AWS CLI:

::

   $ aws --version

To turn on debugging output:

::

   $ aws --debug <command> <subcommand>

You can read more information on the `Using the AWS
CLI <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-chap-using.html>`__
chapter of the AWS CLI User Guide.

Command Completion

The aws-cli package includes a command completion feature for Unix-like systems. This feature is not automatically installed so you need to configure it manually. To learn more, read the AWS CLI Command completion topic <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-configure-completion.html>__.

Getting Help

The best way to interact with our team is through GitHub. You can open an issue <https://github.com/aws/aws-cli/issues/new/choose>__ and choose from one of our templates for guidance, bug reports, or feature requests.

You may find help from the community on Stack Overflow <https://stackoverflow.com/>__ with the tag aws-cli <https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/aws-cli>__ or on the AWS Discussion Forum for CLI <https://forums.aws.amazon.com/forum.jspa?forumID=150>. If you have a support plan with AWS Support <https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport>, you can also create a new support case.

Please check for open similar issues <https://github.com/aws/aws-cli/issues/>__ before opening another one.

The AWS CLI implements AWS service APIs. For general issues regarding the services or their limitations, you may find the Amazon Web Services Discussion Forums <https://forums.aws.amazon.com/>__ helpful.

More Resources

Changelog <https://github.com/aws/aws-cli/blob/develop/CHANGELOG.rst>__
AWS CLI Documentation <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/index.html>__
AWS CLI User Guide <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/>__
AWS CLI Command Reference <https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/>__
Amazon Web Services Discussion Forums <https://forums.aws.amazon.com/>__
AWS Support <https://console.aws.amazon.com/support/home#/>__

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