Build custom Amazon Machine Images with Packer's amazon-ebs builder.
Works with
Automates AMI creation from source AMIs using HCL templates with provisioners for customization (shell scripts, file uploads, configuration management)
Supports multi-region AMI distribution via ami_regions and flexible source AMI filtering by name, owner, and virtualization type
Authenticates via environment variables, AWS credentials file, or IAM instance profiles; includes validation and build commands for templa
AI-first code editor with Composer
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
node --versionaws-ami-builderExecute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
Fetches aws-ami-builder from hashicorp/agent-skills and configures it for Cursor.
The CLI shows a list of agents. Use arrow keys and space to select Cursor:
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Restart Cursor to activate aws-ami-builder. Access via /aws-ami-builder in your agent's command palette.
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your environment. Always review source, verify the publisher, and test in isolation before production.
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Automate repetitive workflows and reduce manual effort
Example
Generate reports, summarize documents, draft communications
Save 3-5 hours per week on routine tasks
Learn new skills, understand complex topics, get expert guidance
Example
Explain concepts, provide examples, suggest learning resources
Accelerate learning and skill development by 2x
Enhance output quality through reviews, suggestions, and refinements
Example
Review drafts, suggest improvements, catch errors
Improve work quality by 30-40% with less effort
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Build Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) using Packer's amazon-ebs builder.
Reference: Amazon EBS Builder
Note: Building AMIs incurs AWS costs (EC2 instances, EBS storage, data transfer). Builds typically take 10-30 minutes depending on provisioning complexity.
packer {
required_plugins {
amazon = {
source = "github.com/hashicorp/amazon"
version = "~> 1.3"
}
}
}
variable "region" {
type = string
default = "us-west-2"
}
locals {
timestamp = regex_replace(timestamp(), "[- TZ:]", "")
}
source "amazon-ebs" "ubuntu" {
region = var.region
instance_type = "t3.micro"
source_ami_filter {
filters = {
name = "ubuntu/images/*ubuntu-jammy-22.04-amd64-server-*"
root-device-type = "ebs"
virtualization-type = "hvm"
}
most_recent = true
owners = ["099720109477"] # Canonical
}
ssh_username = "ubuntu"
ami_name = "my-app-${local.timestamp}"
tags = {
Name = "my-app"
BuildDate = local.timestamp
}
}
build {
sources = ["source.amazon-ebs.ubuntu"]
provisioner "shell" {
inline = [
"sudo apt-get update",
"sudo apt-get upgrade -y",
]
}
}
source_ami_filter {
filters = {
name = "ubuntu/images/*ubuntu-jammy-22.04-amd64-server-*"
root-device-type = "ebs"
virtualization-type = "hvm"
}
most_recent = true
owners = ["099720109477"] # Canonical
}
source_ami_filter {
filters = {
name = "al2023-ami-*-x86_64"
root-device-type = "ebs"
virtualization-type = "hvm"
}
most_recent = true
owners = ["amazon"]
}
source "amazon-ebs" "ubuntu" {
region = "us-west-2"
instance_type = "t3.micro"
source_ami_filter {
filters = {
name = "ubuntu/images/*ubuntu-jammy-22.04-amd64-server-*"
}
most_recent = true
owners = ["099720109477"]
}
ssh_username = "ubuntu"
ami_name = "my-app-${local.timestamp}"
# Copy to additional regions
ami_regions = ["us-east-1", "us-east-2", "eu-west-1"]
}
Packer uses AWS credential resolution:
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID, AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY~/.aws/credentialsexport AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="your-access-key"
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="your-secret-key"
export AWS_REGION="us-west-2"
packer build .
# Initialize plugins
packer init .
# Validate template
packer validate .
# Build AMI
packer build .
# Build with variables
packer build -var "region=us-east-1" .
SSH Timeout
AMI Already Exists
my-app-${local.timestamp}Volume Size Too Small
launch_block_device_mappings.volume_size accordinglyPrerequisites
Time Estimate
15-45 minutes depending on use case complexity
Steps
Common Pitfalls
✓ Do
✗ Don't
💡 Pro Tips
✓ Use when
Use when skill capabilities match your task, clear ROI on time saved, and you can validate outputs. Best for repetitive tasks, learning, and quality improvement.
✗ Avoid when
Avoid when task requires deep expertise you can't validate, involves sensitive decisions, or when learning process is more valuable than speed of completion.
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Useful defaults in aws-ami-builder — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
aws-ami-builder reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
aws-ami-builder is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
aws-ami-builder has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
aws-ami-builder fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
Useful defaults in aws-ami-builder — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
Registry listing for aws-ami-builder matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.
aws-ami-builder is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
We added aws-ami-builder from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: aws-ami-builder is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
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