AWS CloudShell Terminal | Overview & Hands-On.

An Overview and Hands-On of AWS CloudShell Terminal.

Focus:

• Tailored for SRE, DevOps, Cloud, and DevSecOps Engineers

Breakdown:

• Intro,
• key features and benefits,
• Getting started with AWS CloudShell,
• Benefits of AWS CloudShell,
• Project: Hand-On,
• Insights.

Intro:

• AWS CloudShell is a browser-based shell that provides secure, command-line access to twtech aws resources. 
• AWS CloudShell is a fully managed service that comes pre-authenticated with twtech aws management console credentials and has popular development and operations tools pre-installed.

key features and benefits

No local installation: 

• twtech can access the shell directly from the aws management console in twtech web browser, with no need to install or maintain any software locally.

Pre-installed tools:

•  The environment comes with the aws command line interface (cli) and other tools, such as git, docker (in supported regions), and various programming languages (python, node.js, etc.), pre-installed and regularly updated.

Automatic authentication:

•  It uses the credentials you used to sign in to the aws management console, so twtech doesn't need to configure access keys separately.

Persistent storage:

•  twtech $HOME directory has 1 gb of persistent storage per aws region.
•  which means twtech scripts and configuration files are saved between sessions. 
• This data is retained for 120 days after twtech last session in that region, unless twtech launch cloudshell again to reset the timer.

Multiple shells and customization:

•  twtech can open multiple shell sessions, split the terminal view (horizontally or vertically), change the font size, and switch between light and dark themes.

File management:

•  twtecj can upload and download files between its local machine and the cloudshell environment.

No additional cost:

•  There is no additional charge for using aws cloudshell.
• However, twtech only pay for any other aws resources it use with it (integrated with).

Security:

•  It includes security features like safe paste for multi-line text input and integration with aws iam for managing user permissions.

Getting started with AWS CloudShell

• To start using aws cloudshell, twtech must sign in to the aws management console and select the cloudshell icon in the top right corner of the screen

NB:

AWS CloudShell not yet available in all regions.

• twtech recommends that users can click on the following links to find the region with AWS CloudShell.

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cloudshell/latest/userguide/supported-aws-regions.html

• Users may switch to one of these available regions for hands-on with AWS CloudShell. As at Dec.30.2025

• How twtech uses CloudShell in its Environment

• Login to aws account and select the CloudShell icon: Top right hand corner.

• AWS CloudShell is available in the us-east-2 region. (Ohio)
• This work the same as the terminal that has been configures with aws-access keys.
• CloudShell Terminal is pre-authenticated.

Project: Hands-On

• How twtech uses CloudShell to creates files.

echo twtech-users list > twtechuser.txt

• How twtech configures the cloudshell settings.

From:

To:

• How twech downloads file(s) from cloudshell to the local machine.
• Copy the Absolute path to the file and use it to download.

/home/cloudshell-user/twtechuser.txt

/home/cloudshell-user/twtechuser.txt

• Verify in the file in the Download folder of the local machine.

• How twtect uploads (migrates) files from a local computer into the cloud (server) using cloudshell.

• How twtech Selects the file(s) to upload from the local machine to the server.

• How twtech Verifies in the server that the file(s) have been migrated.

• How twtech splits cloudshell tab into multiple terminals (columns).

twtech-Insights

• AWS CloudShell is a browser-based shell provided by AWS, pre-authenticated with twtech AWS credentials, that allows you to run AWS CLI commands, scripts, and interact with AWS services without needing to configure a local environment. 
• It's a powerful tool, especially for DevOps and Cloud Engineers who need quick access to AWS resources from any machine.

 Features of AWS CloudShell

1. Browser-Based Access
• No installation required; accessible directly from the AWS Management Console.
• Available via a simple click on the terminal icon in the console header.
2. Preconfigured Environment
• Comes with AWS CLI, AWS SDKs, Terraform, Python, Node.js, Git, Docker, and other popular tools pre-installed.
• Supports customization via dotfiles or custom scripts.
3. Persistent Home Directory
• 1 GB of persistent storage per region.
• Files saved in your home directory are preserved across sessions.
4. Automatic Authentication
• Uses the credentials of the signed-in IAM user, eliminating the need for manual AWS CLI configuration.
5. Multi-Region Support
• Available in multiple AWS regions with independent storage per region.
6. Integrated Security
• Runs in a secure, isolated environment within twtech AWS account.
• IAM policies control access just like any other AWS service.

 Benefits of AWS CloudShell

1. Rapid Access to AWS CLI
• Great for troubleshooting, configuration, and scripting on the fly.
• Ideal for environments where installing CLI tools is restricted.
2. Improved Developer Productivity
• Reduces the setup time needed for AWS access.
• Consistent environment across teams and machines.
3. Cost-Effective
• Free to use, with no additional charge beyond the underlying resources twtech access (e.g., EC2, S3, etc.).
4. Portability and Convenience
• Access from any machine with a browser.
• Useful for remote teams or hybrid work setups.
5. Safe Experimentation
• Isolated shell environment allows twtech to safely test AWS CLI commands before deploying changes.
6. Supports Automation and Scripting
• Easily run scripts, automation routines, or Terraform configurations directly from the shell.