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Amazon Ec2 Image Builder

AWSOfficialPublished by AWS

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Cloud and DevOps
  • Apache-2.0
  • No issues found

From the author

Creates and automates custom image builds with EC2 Image Builder - Linux, Windows, and macOS AMIs, and container images to ECR. Covers the build IAM role, Amazon-managed and custom components, image recipes, infrastructure and distribution configuration (launch templates, SSM parameters, other Regions), one-off builds, recurring scheduled pipelines for golden AMI automation and OS patching, custom image workflows, and diagnosing failed builds. Applies when creating, automating, or scheduling AMI or container image builds with Image Builder, or when debugging a failed build. Not for launching instances from existing AMIs, AMI lifecycle/retirement, or general EC2 fleet management.
— the description by AWS

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides comprehensive guidance for using AWS EC2 Image Builder to manage custom image pipelines. It covers the full lifecycle of image creation, including defining build IAM roles, configuring infrastructure, managing recipes, and setting up recurring pipelines for golden AMI automation. The skill also addresses advanced topics like custom workflows, distribution configurations, and troubleshooting build failures.

What it does

  • Automates the creation of Linux, Windows, and macOS AMIs and container images.
  • Sets up recurring pipelines for automated OS patching and golden image maintenance.
  • Configures infrastructure, distribution settings, and build IAM roles.
  • Provides diagnostic steps for resolving failed image builds.
  • Supports advanced custom workflows and execution role management.
  • Integrates with AWS services like SSM, ECR, and CloudWatch for logging and distribution.

When to use it

  • When you need to create a custom AMI or container image for your EC2 fleet.
  • When you want to automate the maintenance and patching of golden images.
  • When you need to distribute images across multiple AWS Regions or launch templates.
  • When you encounter errors or failures during an Image Builder build process.

Advantages

  • Ensures consistent image builds through versioned recipes and automated pipelines.
  • Reduces manual effort for OS patching and security hardening.
  • Provides clear separation between build-time and execution-time permissions.
  • Offers native support for multi-region distribution and SSM parameter updates.

Usage examples

“How do I set up a recurring pipeline to automatically patch my Amazon Linux 2023 golden AMI?”
The agent will guide you through creating an image recipe, configuring an infrastructure profile, and defining a pipeline with a schedule to ensure your AMI remains updated.
“My EC2 Image Builder build is failing. How can I find the root cause?”
The agent will direct you to the appropriate CloudWatch log groups and provide steps to inspect the build logs for specific component failures.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/aws/amazon-ec2-image-builder/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip amazon-ec2-image-builder.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by AWS

Amazon EC2 Image Builder

Overview

Domain expertise for building custom AMIs and container images with EC2 Image Builder — from the build IAM role through recipes, pipelines, distribution, and troubleshooting.

Works best with the AWS MCP server — recommended for sandboxed execution and audit logging. All guidance also works with standard AWS CLI access.

Guardrail — where this skill's own files live (MCP vs local install)

This skill can be loaded two ways, and they resolve the skill's own bundled files from different places. Determine how the skill was loaded before reading a reference or running a script:

  • Loaded through the AWS MCP retrieve_skill tool: The skill is not installed on the local filesystem. You MUST fetch each reference or script via retrieve_skill with the file parameter (e.g. file="references/creating-images.md"), and use the returned content. Do NOT file_read these paths locally — they do not exist on disk.

  • Installed locally (e.g. .kiro/skills/amazon-ec2-image-builder/ or ~/.claude/skills/amazon-ec2-image-builder/): Read files from the local skill directory using relative paths.

This distinction applies only to the skill's own packaged files. User data and session artifacts are always read from and written to the user's working directory. Never fetch or write user data through retrieve_skill.

First decision: one-off image or recurring pipeline

Ask this before creating anything — it changes what you build.

The user wantsDo this
One custom AMI, onceFollow creating-images.md through step 7a: create-image with a recipe and infrastructure configuration — no pipeline needed.
A golden AMI that stays current (scheduled rebuilds that pick up base-image updates and patches)An image pipeline: follow creating-images.md — the schedule is part of the create-image-pipeline call (step 7b).
Use this skillWhen the request is about
launching-ec2-instance-with-best-practicesLaunching instances from an AMI the user already has
setting-up-ec2-instance-profilesInstance profiles in general (not the build IAM role this skill creates)
aws-computeAMI sharing, retiring, and lifecycle management; general EC2 fleet questions

Not covered here: AMI lifecycle/retirement (route via the table above) and VM/ISO image import and export (follow the AWS documentation directly).

Routing (references in this skill)

Read the matching reference before answering. The exact commands, failure fixes, and platform requirements live in the references — answering Image Builder questions from general knowledge is how agents get the details subtly wrong.

User needRead
Create an image or pipeline end to end: role, components, recipe, infrastructure, schedules, patching, scanning, chainingcreating-images.md
Get the output AMI where it's needed: launch templates, SSM parameters (the service-linked role writes only under /imagebuilder/), other Regionsdistribution-options.md
A build failed, hangs, or an Image Builder API call errorstroubleshooting.md
Windows (exit-3010 reboots), macOS (Mac Dedicated Hosts required), container images to ECR (extra build-role policy)other-image-types.md
Custom image workflows (advanced — always require an execution role)custom-workflows.md

Reference files carry specific ARNs, Amazon-managed resource names, and service defaults — when precision matters, confirm against the AWS documentation.

Guardrails (every workflow)

  • Quote CLI filter values that contain spaces: --filters "name=name,values=Amazon Linux 2023 x86". Unquoted spaces are a CLI parse error.

  • Use the exact ARN each create call returns — never construct ARNs by hand.

  • For a "latest" base image use an Amazon-managed image ARN with the x.x.x wildcard, or an ssm: parameter reference where no managed image exists. Never list versions and sort them as strings — the list is not semver-ordered.

  • Keep architecture consistent across the base image, every component's binaries, and the infrastructure instance types. Image Builder performs no create-time validation of this; a mismatch only fails mid-build when the component runs.

  • For component failures, the root cause lives in CloudWatch log group /aws/imagebuilder/<image-name> (on by default; also in the S3 logs if configured) — never in the API state. See troubleshooting.md.

  • To reboot mid-build, exit the step with code 194 (Linux) or 3010 (Windows). The build re-runs that same step after the reboot — not the next step — so guard it with a marker file. A plain reboot command fails the step.

  • If a resource the user describes isn't visible to get-image/get-image-pipeline, say you can't find it and check the Region and credentials in use — then keep troubleshooting from the user's description; a failed lookup is not proof the resource doesn't exist.

  • Distribution handles launch templates and SSM publishing natively (launchTemplateConfigurations, ssmParameterConfigurations) — never add Lambda glue or manual launch-template versions for AMI propagation.

  • Default to: Amazon Linux 2023 base, IMDSv2 required (instanceMetadataOptions httpTokens=required), and at least two instance types in the infrastructure configuration. S3 build logging is opt-in — CloudWatch logging is on regardless.

  • Check Amazon-managed components (aws imagebuilder list-components --owner Amazon) before writing component YAML. Common needs (AWS CLI, OS updates, CloudWatch agent, STIG hardening) are already covered.

Security considerations

The defaults above are the security posture: IMDSv2 required on build instances, no inbound security-group rules, least-privilege build IAM role (two managed policies for AMI builds plus only the scoped grants a workflow needs), no secrets in components or logs, and log buckets with Block Public Access. Build logs capture full command output that can carry sensitive material; CloudWatch Logs encrypts them at rest by default, and associating a customer-managed KMS key with each /aws/imagebuilder/... log group (aws logs associate-kms-key) is recommended. For auditing and operational visibility, enable CloudTrail in the account so Image Builder API calls are recorded, and configure EventBridge rules or CloudWatch alarms on build failures (source aws.imagebuilder, detail-type EC2 Image Builder Image State Change) so misconfigurations and unauthorized changes surface promptly. Per-build notifications are covered by the SNS topic option (creating-images.md step 6) — prefer a customer-managed key on that topic too. Deviations from these should be explicit user decisions. Reference: EC2 Image Builder security best practices.

Files

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Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs an MCP server

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

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Attribution and licence

Published by
AWS
Publisher
AWS (Official)
Source
aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws · skills/specialized-skills/ec2-skills/amazon-ec2-image-builder · commit 0a218f8
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • NOTICE (added by AutoGineer from NOTICE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
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Download ZIP

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