Get Started with AWS CLI

Installation Guide

Choose your operating system to install AWScli. Each package includes a full CLI interface compatible with AWS services.

Linux / macOS


                        curl https://awscli.amazonaws.com/AWSCLIV2-linux-x86_64.zip -o awscli.zip

                        unzip awscli.zip

                        sudo ./aws/install

💾 Download for Linux

Windows


                        powershell iwr https://awscli.amazonaws.com/AWSCLIV2.msi -OutFile awscli.msi

                        msiexec /i awscli.msi

💾 Download for Windows

Configure the CLI


                    aws configure

                    AWS Access Key ID[None]: AKIAIOSFODNN7S...

                    AWS Secret Access Key[None]: wJalr3antNRG...

                    Default region name[None]: us-west-2

                    Default output format[None]: json

Create ~/.aws/credentials and ~/.aws/config with these settings.

Run Your First CLI Command

List EC2 Instances


                        aws ec2 describe-instances

Returns JSON list of your running EC2 instances

Upload to S3


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

Uploads files to your S3 bucket

Create CloudFront Distribution


                        aws cloudfront create-distribution \\
                        --origin-domain-name mybucket.s3.amazonaws.com

Provisions a CDN distribution for your static website

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Follow this guide to configure your first AWS CLI workflow.

1

Install the CLI

Use the OS-specific installers in the previous section to set up the awscli command-line tool.

2

Configure Credentials

Run aws configure in your shell. Input your access keys and region from the IAM Console.

3

Run Basic Commands

Execute commands like aws ec2 describe-instances to confirm your CLI environment is working. Use the help command by adding --help to see more options.

4

Automate with Scripts

Create shell scripts that call AWS commands and automate large-scale infrastructure changes.

5

Explore Advanced Features

Take advantage of features like:

JSON formatting with --output json
Profile switching with aws configure list
Auto-complete with aws --help commands

🔚 View Full CLI Tutorials

Need Help?

We're here to help if you run into issues during configuration or run your first command.

Documentation

Complete CLI reference guide and troubleshooting steps.

📚 View Docs →

Community Forums

Ask questions and get support from the AWS developer community.

💬 Join Discussion →

Technical Support

Open a support case for urgent problems or enterprise-level questions.

🛠 Open Support Case →

Common CLI Questions

Frequently asked questions about installation and configuration

Make sure you've run the install command successfully and the CLI tools are in your PATH environment variable.