How to Set Up AWS EC2 CLI Tools on CentOS, RHEL, or Mac OS X (YUM & Linux Binaries Methods)

Last Updated on 4 weeks by Sachin G

The AWS EC2 CLI tools setup process allows system administrators, DevOps engineers, and cloud enthusiasts to manage Amazon EC2 instances directly from their terminal. Whether you’re on CentOS, RHEL, or Mac OS X, using the command line can save significant time compared to navigating the AWS Management Console.

This post explains how to set up AWS EC2 CLI tools on CentOS, RHEL Linux, or Mac OS X. It covers installing the latest version of Java, downloading and extracting EC2 CLI tools, setting environment variables, and verifying the setup by running EC2 commands to list AWS instances and regions.

In this guide, you’ll learn two proven methods:

1. Through the YUM repository (ideal for CentOS/RHEL)
2. Using Linux binaries (works across most Linux and Mac systems)

Why Use AWS EC2 CLI Tools?

The Amazon command line interface tool is called as in short  EC2 CLI tools that is composed in Java and includes shell scripts for most Linux and Windows-based machines. Before configuring EC2  API CLI tools , we need to install java JRE ( Java Runtime Environment) because tools are wrtten in Java Programming Language and also set Environment of Java .

• Automate repetitive EC2 tasks without opening a browser.

• Script complex instance management workflows.

• Manage EC2 from low-bandwidth environments.

• Enable cross-platform AWS CLI setup on both Linux and Mac OS X.

Method 1 – Install AWS EC2 CLI Tools via YUM Repository (CentOS/RHEL)

if you’re on CentOS or RHEL, yum install AWS tools is the easiest and most reliable way to get started.

Steps:

1. Update your package index:

sudo yum update -y

2. Install AWS CLI tools:

sudo yum install awscli -y

3. Verify installation:

aws --version

Tip: The AWS CLI setup guide RHEL recommends installing the latest available packages to avoid deprecated API compatibility issues.

Method 2 – Install AWS CLI Tools via Linux Binaries

For users who want the latest AWS CLI v2 installation, downloading binaries from Amazon is the preferred route.

Steps

1. Download AWS CLI v2 for Linux:

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

2. Extract and install:

unzip awscliv2.zip
sudo ./aws/install

3. Check version:

aws --version

This method also works for AWS CLI for MacOS X — simply download the corresponding .pkg file from the AWS official site.

Configuring AWS CLI

aws configure

You’ll be prompted for:

• Access Key ID
• Secret Access Key
• Default region
• Output format

For secure management, avoid hardcoding keys. Use AWS IAM roles where possible.

Common Challenges & Lessons Learned (from real deployments)

• Proxy issues: Some enterprise networks block CLI API calls — solution: configure HTTPS_PROXY environment variables.

• Version mismatches: Old YUM packages may lack new EC2 management commands — in such cases, prefer the binary installation method.

• Cross-team onboarding: Maintaining a short internal AWS CLI installation step-by-step CentOS guide helps reduce onboarding friction.

Real-World Use Cases

• DevOps Pipelines: Automating EC2 scaling in Jenkins jobs.
• Linux Server Automation with AWS CLI: Managing snapshots and backups via shell scripts.
• Mac Developer Environments: Quickly spinning up test instances without touching the AWS consol

FAQ – AWS EC2 CLI Tools Setup

Sachin G

I’m Sachin Gupta — a freelance IT support specialist and founder of techtransit.org. I’m certified in Linux, Ansible, OpenShift (Red Hat), cPanel, and ITIL, with over 15 years of hands-on experience. I create beginner-friendly Linux tutorials, help with Ansible automation, and offer IT support on platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and PeoplePerHour. Follow Tech Transit for practical tips, hosting guides, and real-world Linux expertise!

www.techtransit.org