aws-help

Display help

$ aws help

$ aws help topics

$ aws help [topic_name]

aws-help [<AWS_CLI_SERVICE>] [<AWS_CLI_COMMAND>]

<AWS_CLI_SERVICE>
    The name of an AWS service (e.g., s3, ec2) for which to retrieve help documentation. If provided, the command will display help for that specific service.

<AWS_CLI_COMMAND>
    The name of a specific command within an AWS service (e.g., ls for s3, run-instances for ec2). This argument must be used in conjunction with an <AWS_CLI_SERVICE> to retrieve help for that particular operation.

aws-help is typically a shell script or alias designed to simplify and expedite access to the extensive documentation of the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI). It serves as a user-friendly wrapper around the AWS CLI's native help subcommand. Instead of requiring users to remember the aws <service> help or aws <service> <command> help syntax, aws-help allows for a more direct approach, such as aws-help s3 or aws-help ec2 run-instances.

This utility streamlines the process of retrieving command syntax, available options, and practical usage examples for various AWS services and their operations. By abstracting the standard help subcommand, aws-help aims to enhance productivity and make the process of looking up CLI documentation more intuitive and efficient for developers and administrators managing AWS resources from the terminal.

aws-help is typically a user-defined shell script or alias, not a part of the official AWS CLI distribution or a standard Linux utility. Therefore, its exact behavior and available options can vary significantly based on its specific implementation. It relies entirely on the presence and proper configuration of the AWS CLI tool on the system. Users should verify its source and implementation if encountering unexpected behavior. As it's a wrapper, it doesn't provide the help content itself but merely facilitates access to the AWS CLI's native documentation.

General AWS CLI Help:
aws-help
This command, when executed without arguments, will display the general help documentation for the AWS CLI, listing available top-level commands and global options.

Service-Specific Help:
aws-help s3
This example will show the help documentation specific to the Amazon S3 service, including all available S3 commands (e.g., cp, ls, mb, rm).

Command-Specific Help:
aws-help ec2 run-instances
This command will provide detailed help for the run-instances operation within the Amazon EC2 service, including its syntax, parameters, and examples.

The aws-help command does not have a formal development history as it is not an official component of the AWS CLI or a standard Linux utility. It emerged as a common community-driven solution, often implemented as a simple shell alias or script by users and system administrators. Its purpose is to improve the user experience and efficiency of accessing AWS CLI documentation, which can otherwise require more verbose commands. Its usage reflects a practical need for quicker reference while interacting with AWS services via the command line.

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