How to Use AWS CLI: Complete Command Line Administration Guide
By Braincuber Team
Published on April 17, 2026
The AWS Command Line Interface transforms cloud management from tedious point-and-click operations into efficient scriptable commands. While the AWS Console provides a graphical interface for managing cloud resources, the AWS CLI lets you accomplish the same tasks directly from your keyboard. This complete tutorial shows you how to install, configure, and master the AWS CLI for productive cloud administration.
What You'll Learn:
- Why AWS CLI is more efficient than the web console
- Step by step guide to installing AWS CLI on your system
- Complete tutorial on configuring AWS credentials securely
- How to understand AWS CLI syntax patterns and structure
- Beginner guide to EC2 instance management via CLI
- How to create and configure S3 buckets from command line
- Using dry-run to safely test commands before execution
Why Use the AWS CLI Instead of the Console?
If you have been managing AWS resources through the browser console, you have probably noticed that repetitive tasks can become tedious. Consider launching an Amazon EC2 instance through the console. You need to navigate through multiple pages: load the EC2 Dashboard, click Launch Instance, select an AMI, choose an instance type, configure network settings, set storage volumes, add tags, configure security groups, and finally review and launch.
That process might take five minutes or more per instance. Now imagine you need to launch variations of this configuration a dozen times a week. The AWS CLI reduces that five-minute process to a couple of seconds by executing the same workflow through a single command.
Console GUI
Multiple clicks through nested menus. Slow on poor connections. Hard to automate or replicate.
AWS CLI
Single command execution. Fast and efficient. Perfect for scripting and automation.
Installing the AWS CLI
The AWS CLI is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The recommended installation method is through pip, the Python package manager. First, ensure you have Python installed on your system, then use pip to install the AWS CLI package.
pip install awscli
Installation Tip
For the most up-to-date installation instructions specific to your operating system, visit the official AWS documentation. The pip method works across all platforms that support Python.
Configuring AWS Credentials
Before you can use the AWS CLI to manage your account resources, you need to configure it with valid credentials. This requires creating an IAM user with appropriate permissions and generating access keys.
Step 1: Create IAM Access Keys
Navigate to the AWS Console and access your IAM user settings through the account dropdown menu by clicking on My Security Credentials. Create a new access key and securely record both the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key. Never share these credentials or commit them to version control.
Step 2: Run aws configure
With your access keys ready, open your terminal and run the aws configure command. The CLI will prompt you for four pieces of information.
aws configure
AWS Access Key ID [****************KB2Q]: your-access-key-id
AWS Secret Access Key [****************W/Cu]: your-secret-key
Default region name [us-east-1]: us-east-1
Default output format [text]: json
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Access Key ID | Your IAM user access key | None |
| AWS Secret Access Key | Your IAM user secret key | None |
| Default region name | AWS region for commands (e.g., us-east-1) | None |
| Default output format | json, table, or text | text |
Understanding AWS CLI Syntax
The AWS CLI follows a consistent syntax pattern that makes it easy to learn and remember commands. Every CLI command is structured with options, commands, subcommands, and parameters.
aws [options] <command> <subcommand> [parameters]
Command Components Explained
Options (Optional)
Global settings like --region, --output, --profile, and --dry-run. These modify command behavior globally.
Command
The AWS service name such as ec2, s3, iam, or dynamodb. Each command targets a specific AWS service.
Subcommand
The action to perform like describe-images, run-instances, or mb (make bucket). Common verbs include create, delete, describe, modify, start, stop, and terminate.
Parameters
Specific values the subcommand needs such as --image-id, --instance-type, or --bucket. These vary by subcommand.
EC2 Example: Launching an Instance
The aws ec2 run-instances command launches one or more EC2 instances. You can specify the AMI, instance type, security groups, subnet, and tags all in one command. Using backslashes allows you to split long commands across multiple lines for better readability.
aws ec2 run-instances \
--image-id ami-04681a1dbd79675a5 \
--count 1 \
--instance-type t3.micro \
--key-name MyKeyPair \
--security-group-ids sg-007e43f80a1758f29 \
--subnet-id subnet-970ec9f0 \
--user-data file://my_script.sh \
--tag-specifications \
'ResourceType=instance,Tags=[{Key=Name,Value=BackendServer}]'
Note on Resource IDs
Security group IDs (sg-*), subnet IDs, and key pair names are specific to your AWS account. Use aws ec2 describe-security-groups and aws ec2 describe-subnets to find the correct IDs for your environment.
Describing EC2 AMIs
Before launching instances, you often need to find the correct AMI ID. The aws ec2 describe-images command returns information about available Amazon Machine Images. You can filter results to narrow down to specific operating systems or owners.
aws --output table ec2 describe-images \
--filters "Name=description,Values=*CentOS*" \
"Name=owner-alias,Values=amazon"
This command uses --output table to display results in a formatted table. The --filters parameter narrows results to AMIs with "CentOS" in the description that are owned by Amazon. The image IDs from the results can be used with run-instances.
S3 Example: Creating a Static Website
S3 can host static websites without needing a web server. This step by step guide shows how to create an S3 bucket configured for static website hosting from the command line.
Step 1: Create the S3 Bucket
Use the aws s3 mb command (make bucket) to create a new S3 bucket. Bucket names must be globally unique across all of AWS.
aws s3 mb s3://example-domain.com
Step 2: Set Bucket for Public Access
Static websites need to be publicly readable. Use aws s3api put-bucket-acl to grant public-read permissions.
aws s3api put-bucket-acl \
--bucket example-domain.com \
--acl public-read
Step 3: Upload Website Files
Use aws s3 sync to upload all files from your current directory to the bucket. Include the --acl public-read parameter to make uploaded files publicly accessible.
aws s3 sync . s3://example-domain.com --acl public-read
Step 4: Configure Website Hosting
Define the index document and error document for your static website using the aws s3 website command.
aws s3 website s3://example-domain.com/ \
--index-document index.html \
--error-document error.html
aws s3api get-bucket-website --bucket example-domain.com
Using Dry-Run to Test Commands
The --dry-run option is invaluable when you are unsure about command syntax. Instead of executing the command, it validates your parameters and shows what would happen if the command ran.
aws ec2 run-instances \
--image-id ami-04681a1dbd79675a5 \
--instance-type t3.micro \
--dry-run
Getting Help with AWS CLI
The AWS CLI includes comprehensive help documentation accessible directly from the command line. You can get help at any level: general AWS CLI help, service-level help, or subcommand-specific help.
AWS CLI General Help
aws help
Service-Level Help
aws ec2 help
Subcommand Help
aws ec2 run-instances help
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I install AWS CLI on Windows?
You can install AWS CLI on Windows using pip (pip install awscli), the MSI installer, or through Amazon Corretto (a no-cost OpenJDK distribution that includes AWS CLI).
What is the difference between aws s3 and aws s3api commands?
aws s3 provides high-level commands like sync, cp, and mv that are easier to use for common operations. aws s3api provides lower-level access to all S3 API operations for advanced use cases.
How do I switch between multiple AWS accounts using CLI?
Configure named profiles using aws configure --profile profilename. Then use aws configure or set AWS_PROFILE environment variable to switch between accounts in your terminal session.
What output formats does AWS CLI support?
AWS CLI supports three output formats: json (default), text, and table. Use --output option with individual commands or set default-output in aws configure.
How can I automate AWS CLI commands?
Save AWS CLI commands in shell scripts (.sh for Linux/macOS, .bat or .ps1 for Windows). You can schedule scripts with cron or Windows Task Scheduler, or integrate them into CI/CD pipelines.
Need Help with AWS CLI Automation?
Our AWS experts can help you build automated workflows using the AWS CLI. From EC2 instance management to S3 static hosting and complex multi-service orchestration, we deliver efficient cloud automation solutions.