AWS CloudShell
- What it is
- A browser-based shell, launched from the AWS Management Console, pre-authenticated with your console credentials.
- Free — you pay only for the AWS resources you create from it.
- What is preinstalled
- AWS CLI, Python, Node.js, Git, and common utilities. 1 GB of persistent storage per Region in your home directory.
- Why
- No local install, no access keys to create or store, no credential rotation. Runs with exactly your console permissions.
- Not to be confused with
- AWS Cloud9 — a full browser IDE with a code editor, debugger, and collaborative editing. CloudShell is just a terminal.
- AWS Systems Manager Session Manager — a shell inside one of your EC2 instances. CloudShell is an AWS-managed environment, not your instance.