Create a String parameter (AWS CLI)Create a StringList parameter (AWS CLI)Create a SecureString parameter (AWS CLI)Create a multi-line parameter (AWS CLI)

Create a Systems Manager parameter (AWS CLI)

You can use the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) to create String, StringList, and SecureString parameter types.

Note

Parameters are only available in the AWS Region where they were created.

Parameters can't be referenced or nested in the values of other parameters. You can't include {{}} or {{ssm:parameter-name}} in a parameter value.

Topics

Create a String parameter (AWS CLI)
Create a StringList parameter (AWS CLI)
Create a SecureString parameter (AWS CLI)
Create a multi-line parameter (AWS CLI)

Create a `String` parameter (AWS CLI)

Install and configure the AWS CLI, if you have not already.

For information, see Install or upgrade AWS command line tools.
Run the following command to create a String-type parameter.
Linux & macOS
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name "parameter-name" \
    --value "parameter-value" \
    --type String \
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
Windows
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name "parameter-name" ^
    --value "parameter-value" ^
    --type String ^
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
-or-

Run the following command to create a parameter that contains an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) ID as the parameter value.
Linux & macOS
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name "parameter-name" \
    --value "an-AMI-id" \
    --type String \
    --data-type "aws:ec2:image" \
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
Windows
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name "parameter-name" ^
    --value "an-AMI-id" ^
    --type String ^
    --data-type "aws:ec2:image" ^
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
The --name option supports hierarchies. For information about hierarchies, see Working with parameter hierarchies.

The --data-type option must be specified only if you are creating a parameter that contains an AMI ID. It validates that the parameter value you enter is a properly formatted Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) AMI ID. For all other parameters, the default data type is text and it's optional to specify a value. For more information, see Native parameter support for Amazon Machine Image IDs.

Important

If successful, the command returns the version number of the parameter. Exception: If you have specified aws:ec2:image as the data type, a new version number in the response does not mean that the parameter value has been validated yet. For more information, see Native parameter support for Amazon Machine Image IDs.

The following example adds two key-value pair tags to a parameter.
Linux & macOS
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name parameter-name \
    --value "parameter-value" \
    --type "String" \
    --tags '[{"Key":"Region","Value":"East"},{"Key":"Environment", "Value":"Production"}]'
```
Windows
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name parameter-name ^
    --value "parameter-value" ^
    --type "String" ^
    --tags [{\"Key\":\"Region1\",\"Value\":\"East1\"},{\"Key\":\"Environment1\",\"Value\":\"Production1\"}]
```
The following example uses a parameter hierarchy in the name to create a plaintext String parameter. It returns the version number of the parameter. For more information about parameter hierarchies, see Working with parameter hierarchies.
Linux & macOS
Parameter not in a hierarchy
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name "golden-ami" \
    --type "String" \
    --value "ami-12345abcdeEXAMPLE"
```
Parameter in a hierarchy
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name "/amis/linux/golden-ami" \
    --type "String" \
    --value "ami-12345abcdeEXAMPLE"
```
Windows
Parameter not in a hierarchy
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name "golden-ami" ^
    --type "String" ^
    --value "ami-12345abcdeEXAMPLE"
```
Parameter in a hierarchy
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name "/amis/windows/golden-ami" ^
    --type "String" ^
    --value "ami-12345abcdeEXAMPLE"
```

Run the following command to view the latest parameter value and verify the details of your new parameter.


aws ssm get-parameters --names "/Test/IAD/helloWorld"

The system returns information like the following.

{
    "InvalidParameters": [],
    "Parameters": [
        {            
            "Name": "/Test/IAD/helloWorld",
            "Type": "String",
            "Value": "My updated parameter value",
            "Version": 2,
            "LastModifiedDate": "2020-02-25T15:55:33.677000-08:00",
            "ARN": "arn:aws:ssm:us-east-2:123456789012:parameter/Test/IAD/helloWorld"
            
        }
    ]
}

Run the following command to change the parameter value. It returns the version number of the parameter.


aws ssm put-parameter --name "/Test/IAD/helloWorld" --value "My updated 1st parameter" --type String --overwrite

Run the following command to view the parameter value history.


aws ssm get-parameter-history --name "/Test/IAD/helloWorld"

Run the following command to use this parameter in a command.


aws ssm send-command --document-name "AWS-RunShellScript" --parameters '{"commands":["echo {{ssm:/Test/IAD/helloWorld}}"]}' --targets "Key=instanceids,Values=instance-ids"

Run the following command if you only want to retrieve the parameter Value.


aws ssm get-parameter --name testDataTypeParameter --query "Parameter.Value"

Run the following command if you only want to retrieve the parameter Value using get-parameters.


aws ssm get-parameters --names "testDataTypeParameter" --query "Parameters[*].Value"

Run the following command to view the parameter metadata.


aws ssm describe-parameters --filters "Key=Name,Values=/Test/IAD/helloWorld"

Note

Name must be capitalized.

The system returns information like the following.

{
    "Parameters": [
        {
            "Name": "helloworld",
            "Type": "String",
            "LastModifiedUser": "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:user/user-name",
            "LastModifiedDate": 1494529763.156,
            "Version": 1,
            "Tier": "Standard",
            "Policies": []           
        }
    ]
}

Create a `StringList` parameter (AWS CLI)

Install and configure the AWS CLI, if you have not already.

For information, see Install or upgrade AWS command line tools.
Run the following command to create a parameter.
Linux & macOS
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name "parameter-name" \
    --value "a-comma-separated-list-of-values" \
    --type StringList \
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
Windows
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name "parameter-name" ^
    --value "a-comma-separated-list-of-values" ^
    --type StringList ^
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
Note

If successful, the command returns the version number of the parameter.

This example adds two key-value pair tags to a parameter. (Depending on the operating system type on your local machine, run one of the following commands. The version to run from a local Windows machine includes the escape characters ("\") that you need to run the command from your command line tool.)

Here is a StringList example that uses a parameter hierarchy.
Linux & macOS
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name /IAD/ERP/Oracle/addUsers \
    --value "Milana,Mariana,Mark,Miguel" \
    --type StringList
```
Windows
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name /IAD/ERP/Oracle/addUsers ^
    --value "Milana,Mariana,Mark,Miguel" ^
    --type StringList
```
Note

Items in a StringList must be separated by a comma (,). You can't use other punctuation or special character to escape items in the list. If you have a parameter value that requires a comma, then use the String type.
Run the get-parameters command to verify the details of the parameter. For example:
```
aws ssm get-parameters --name "/IAD/ERP/Oracle/addUsers"
```

Create a SecureString parameter (AWS CLI)

Use the following procedure to create a SecureString parameter.

Important

Only the value of a SecureString parameter is encrypted. Parameter names, descriptions, and other properties are not encrypted.

Install and configure the AWS CLI, if you have not already.

For information, see Install or upgrade AWS command line tools.
Run one of the following commands to create a parameter that uses the SecureString datatype.
Linux & macOS
Create a SecureString parameter using the default AWS managed key
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name "parameter-name" \
    --value "parameter-value" \
    --type "SecureString"
```
Create a SecureString parameter that uses a customer managed key
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name "parameter-name" \
    --value "a-parameter-value, for example P@ssW%rd#1" \
    --type "SecureString"
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
Create a SecureString parameter that uses a custom AWS KMS key
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name "parameter-name" \
    --value "a-parameter-value, for example P@ssW%rd#1" \
    --type "SecureString" \
    --key-id "your-AWS-user-account-ID/the-custom-AWS KMS-key" \
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
Windows
Create a SecureString parameter using the default AWS managed key
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name "parameter-name" ^
    --value "parameter-value" ^
    --type "SecureString"
```
Create a SecureString parameter that uses a customer managed key
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name "parameter-name" ^
    --value "a-parameter-value, for example P@ssW%rd#1" ^
    --type "SecureString" ^
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"
```
Create a SecureString parameter that uses a custom AWS KMS key
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name "parameter-name" ^
    --value "a-parameter-value, for example P@ssW%rd#1" ^
    --type "SecureString" ^
    --key-id " ^
    --tags "Key=tag-key,Value=tag-value"your-AWS-user-account-ID/the-custom-AWS KMS-key"
```
If you create a SecureString parameter by using the AWS-managed AWS Key Management Service (AWS KMS) key in your account and Region, then you don't have to provide a value for the --key-id parameter.

Note

To use the AWS KMS key assigned to your AWS account and Region, remove the key-id parameter from the command. For more information about AWS KMS keys, see AWS Key Management Service Concepts in the AWS Key Management Service Developer Guide.

To use a customer managed key instead of the AWS managed key assigned to your account, you must specify the key by using the --key-id parameter. The parameter supports the following KMS parameter formats.
- Key Amazon Resource Name (ARN) example:
  
  arn:aws:kms:us-east-2:123456789012:key/12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012
- Alias ARN example:
  
  arn:aws:kms:us-east-2:123456789012:alias/MyAliasName
- Key ID example:
  
  12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012
- Alias Name example:
  
  alias/MyAliasName
You can create a customer managed key by using the AWS Management Console or the AWS KMS API. The following AWS CLI commands create a customer managed key in the current Region of your AWS account.
```
aws kms create-key
```
Use a command in the following format to create a SecureString parameter using the key you just created.

The following example uses an obfuscated name (3l3vat3131) for a password parameter and a AWS KMS key.
Linux & macOS
```
aws ssm put-parameter \
    --name /Finance/Payroll/3l3vat3131 \
    --value "P@sSwW)rd" \
    --type SecureString \
    --key-id arn:aws:kms:us-east-2:123456789012:key/1a2b3c4d-1a2b-1a2b-1a2b-1a2b3c4d5e
```
Windows
```
aws ssm put-parameter ^
    --name /Finance/Payroll/3l3vat3131 ^
    --value "P@sSwW)rd" ^
    --type SecureString ^
    --key-id arn:aws:kms:us-east-2:123456789012:key/1a2b3c4d-1a2b-1a2b-1a2b-1a2b3c4d5e
```
Run the following command to verify the details of the parameter.
Linux & macOS
```
aws ssm get-parameters \
    --name "the-parameter-name-you-specified" \
    --with-decryption
```
Windows
```
aws ssm get-parameters ^
    --name "the-parameter-name-you-specified" ^
    --with-decryption
```
Note

If you don't specify the with-decryption parameter, or if you specify the no-with-decryption parameter, the command returns an encrypted GUID.

Run the following command to view the parameter metadata.

Run the following command to change the parameter value if you are not using a customer managed AWS KMS key.

-or-

Run one of the following commands to change the parameter value if you are using a customer managed AWS KMS key.

Run the following command to view the latest parameter value.

Run the following command to view the parameter value history.

Note

You can manually create a parameter with an encrypted value. In this case, because the value is already encrypted, you don’t have to choose the SecureString parameter type. If you do choose SecureString, your parameter is doubly encrypted.

By default, all SecureString values are displayed as cipher-text. To decrypt a SecureString value, a user must have permission to call the AWS KMS Decrypt API operation. For information about configuring AWS KMS access control, see Authentication and Access Control for AWS KMS in the AWS Key Management Service Developer Guide.

Create a multi-line parameter (AWS CLI)

You can use the AWS CLI to create a parameter with line breaks. Adding line breaks lets you break up the text in longer parameter values for better legibility or, for example, more easily update multi-paragraph parameter content for a web page. You can include the content in a JSON file and use the --cli-input-json option, using line break characters like /n, as shown in the following example.

Install and configure the AWS CLI, if you have not already.

For information, see Install or upgrade AWS command line tools.

Run the following command to create a multi-line parameter.

The following example shows the contents of the file MultiLineParameter.json.


{
    "Value": "<para>Paragraph One</para>\n<para>Paragraph Two</para>\n<para>Paragraph Three</para>"
}

The saved parameter value is stored as follows.

<para>Paragraph One</para>
<para>Paragraph Two</para>
<para>Paragraph Three</para>

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Document Conventions

Create a Systems Manager parameter (console)

Create a Systems Manager parameter (Tools for Windows PowerShell)