AWS SAM prerequisites

Complete the following prerequisites before installing and using the AWS Serverless Application Model Command Line Interface (AWS SAM CLI).

To use the AWS SAM CLI, you need the following:

• An AWS account, AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) credentials, and an IAM access key pair.

• The AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) to configure AWS credentials.

Sign up for an AWS account

To get started with AWS, you need an AWS account. For information about creating an AWS account, see Getting started with an AWS account in the AWS Account Management Reference Guide.

Step 1: Install the AWS CLI

The AWS CLI is an open source tool that enables you to interact with AWS services using commands in your command-line shell. The AWS SAM CLI requires the AWS CLI for activities such as configuring credentials. To learn more about the AWS CLI, see What is the AWS Command Line Interface? in the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide.

To install the AWS CLI, see Installing or updating the latest version of the AWS CLI in the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide.

Step 2: Use the AWS CLI to configure AWS credentials

To configure credentials with IAM Identity Center

• To configure credentials with IAM Identity Center, see Configure your profile with the AWS configure sso wizard.

To configure credentials with the AWS CLI

1. Run the aws configure command from the command line.

2. Configure the following. Select each link to learn more:

   1. Access key ID

   2. Secret access key

   3. AWS Region

   4. Output format

   The following example shows sample values.

   $ 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

The AWS CLI stores this information in a profile (a collection of settings) named default in the credentials and config files. These files are located in the .aws file in your home directory. 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 file, see Configuration and credential file settings in the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide.

For more information on configuring credentials, such as using an existing configuration and credentials file, see Quick setup in the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide.

Step 3: (Optional) Install AWS Toolkit for VS Code

For developers who prefer an integrated development environment, the AWS Toolkit for VS Code provides powerful features for serverless development including visual debugging, CodeLens integration, and streamlined deployment workflows.

Prerequisites for VS Code development

• Visual Studio Code (version 1.73.0 or a later version) installed on your system

• YAML language support extension for VS Code

To install the AWS Toolkit for VS Code

1. Open Visual Studio Code

2. Open the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X)

3. Search for "AWS Toolkit"

4. Install the "AWS Toolkit" extension by Amazon Web Services

5. Install the "YAML" extension by Red Hat (required for SAM template CodeLens features)

Benefits of using VS Code with AWS SAM

• Visual debugging: Set breakpoints and step through your Lambda functions locally

• CodeLens integration: Build, deploy, and invoke functions directly from your SAM template

• Integrated terminal: Access AWS SAM AWS CLI commands without leaving your editor

• Template validation: Real-time validation and IntelliSense for SAM templates

For information about configuring your AWS credentials in VS Code, see Setting up credentials in the AWS Toolkit for VS Code User Guide.

Next steps

• You are now ready to install the AWS SAM CLI and start using AWS SAM. To install the AWS SAM CLI, see Install the AWS SAM CLI.

• To set up Visual Studio Code for serverless development, see Setting up the AWS Toolkit for VS Code.