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AWS · Foundations

Introduction to AWS

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the largest cloud platform. A few core services cover most applications, and a safe account setup protects you from surprise bills and break-ins.

Beginner 5 min Lesson 1 of 30
Before you start:Microsoft Azure: Introduction to Cloud Computing
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On this page · 5 min · Beginner

On this page

  1. Learning objectives
  2. Explanation
  3. Code example
  4. Step by step
  5. Real-world use
  6. Common mistakes
  7. Best practices
  8. Remember this
  9. Practice exercise
  10. Mini quiz
  11. Related topics
  12. My notes
Reading time
5 min
Difficulty
Beginner
Updated
Oct 29, 2026

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Interview questions

Learning objectives#

  • Name the core AWS service categories
  • Secure a new account (MFA, no root usage, budget)
  • Install and configure the AWS CLI
  • Understand the free tier

Explanation#

Core services: compute (EC2, Lambda, ECS), storage (S3), databases (RDS, DynamoDB), networking (VPC, Route 53, CloudFront), identity (IAM) and monitoring (CloudWatch).

The root user (the email you signed up with) can do anything, including closing the account. Protect it with MFA, then do daily work with IAM Identity Center users or IAM roles.

The AWS CLI lets you script everything. Configure it with temporary credentials from IAM Identity Center using aws configure sso.

New accounts get a free tier, but many services bill as soon as you exceed it. Create a budget alert immediately.

Code example: Setting up the AWS CLI#

ShellSetting up the AWS CLI Illustrative
aws configure sso                    # sign in through IAM Identity Center (temporary credentials)
aws sts get-caller-identity --profile dev
aws s3 ls --profile dev
aws configure set region ap-south-1 --profile dev   # Mumbai
Expected output
{
  "UserId": "AROAXXXXXXXXXXXX:asha",
  "Account": "123456789012",
  "Arn": "arn:aws:sts::123456789012:assumed-role/AWSReservedSSO_Developer_abc/asha"
}

This example is illustrative. Copy or download it and run it in your own environment; the expected output is shown above.

Step-by-step explanation#

  1. configure sso stores a profile that fetches short-lived credentials.
  2. get-caller-identity confirms which account and role you are using — the AWS equivalent of “whoami”.
  3. Every command can target a profile and region.

Real-world use case#

A developer uses separate CLI profiles for dev and prod accounts, so a command can never accidentally hit production.

Common mistakes#

Using the root user every day

If root credentials leak, the whole account is lost. Lock root away with MFA.

Long-lived access keys on laptops

Keys in ~/.aws/credentials are frequently leaked via Git. Prefer SSO and roles with temporary credentials.

Best practices#

  • Enable MFA on root and every user
  • Use IAM Identity Center for people
  • Create a budget with email alerts on day one
  • Pick one region for learning and stick to it

Remember this#

Root = emergency only. MFA on.

aws sts get-caller-identity = “who am I?”

Budget alert before your first resource.

Practice exercise#

Your task: Create a monthly cost budget of USD 10 that emails you at 80% of actual spend.

Show solution
Text Illustrative
Console → Billing and Cost Management → Budgets → Create budget → Cost budget
Amount: 10 USD, monthly → Alert: 80% of actual → your email

Mini quiz#

Introduction to AWS quizMultiple choice Question 1 of 2

Which command shows the identity your CLI is using?

Score so far: 0/0

Want more? Practise all AWS MCQs · AWS interview questions

My notes#

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