aws-history

List recent CLI command history

$ aws history list

$ aws history show [command-id]

$ echo "[default]\ncli_history = enabled" >> ~/.aws/config

aws history command [options]

aws history provides access to the history of AWS CLI commands executed over time. It allows reviewing past commands, their arguments, API calls made, and responses received for debugging and auditing purposes.
History recording must be enabled by setting cli_history = enabled in the ~/.aws/config file. Once enabled, the CLI records all command invocations for later inspection.

--debug

Enable debug logging

Output format (json, text, table)

JMESPath query to filter results

Use a specific named profile

list

Display a list of previously executed commands with their IDs, timestamps, arguments, and return codes

Display detailed information about a specific command execution including API calls and responses

History is stored locally and is not synced across machines. Enabling history may expose sensitive data in the stored records. The history database can grow large over time and should be periodically cleaned. History only records CLI commands, not SDK or console actions.

The aws history command was introduced in AWS CLI version 2 to provide better debugging and audit capabilities. It replaced the need for manual logging of CLI operations and integrates with the CLI's structured output system.

aws(1), aws-configure(1)