awscli-local

What it is and what it does

awscli-local is a command-line wrapper that intercepts AWS CLI calls and redirects them to a LocalStack instance running locally, typically on localhost:4566. Instead of typing `aws --endpoint-url=http://localhost:4566 kinesis list-streams`, you simply run `awslocal kinesis list-streams` with the same syntax as the standard AWS CLI. The wrapper handles endpoint URL injection, placeholder credentials, and region defaults automatically, and includes patches for AWS CLI quirks like CloudFormation's `package` command, which normally cannot specify an S3 endpoint.

The package depends only on localstack-client and is designed for developers testing AWS-dependent code locally without hitting real AWS services. It supports shell command completion and respects environment variables like AWS_ENDPOINT_URL, LOCALSTACK_HOST, and USE_SSL for configuration. The wrapper works with AWS CLI v1 out of the box; v2 support is documented as technically possible but not officially packaged.

Use it for:

• Local development and testing of AWS Lambda, DynamoDB, S3, and other services without incurring AWS costs or hitting real infrastructure.
• Integration testing in CI/CD pipelines where you spin up LocalStack in a container and run awslocal commands against it.
• CloudFormation template development and testing locally before deploying to production AWS accounts.
• Rapid prototyping of serverless applications with immediate feedback without AWS account setup overhead.
• Teaching or demonstrating AWS CLI workflows in isolated environments without risk of accidental production changes.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Provides the `awslocal` command, a thin wrapper around the AWS CLI that automatically routes requests to a LocalStack endpoint instead of AWS.

Yes, if you are actively developing or testing AWS-dependent code locally with LocalStack. The low install friction, permissive license, and straightforward command-line interface make it a practical choice. However, note that maintenance is aging (372 days since last release) and AWS CLI v2 support remains unofficial; if you rely on v2 features or need active maintenance, verify compatibility first or consider the documented bash alias alternative.

Install

awscli-local on PyPI

pip install awscli-local

uv add awscli-local

poetry add awscli-local

Installing awscli-local

Before you install

Low install friction with a single runtime dependency (localstack-client). Maintenance status is aging—last release was 372 days ago, though the repository remains active with recent commits and moderate community engagement (1299 stars).

License in practice

Released under Apache License 2.0 (permissive), imposing no restrictions on use, modification, or distribution in proprietary or open-source projects.

Quickstart

pip install awscli-local

# Then use awslocal exactly like aws:
awslocal kinesis list-streams
# Instead of: aws --endpoint-url=http://localhost:4566 kinesis list-streams

Requires LocalStack running on localhost:4566 (or configured via AWS_ENDPOINT_URL environment variable); AWS CLI v1 is recommended for full compatibility.

Verify before relying

• Whether AWS CLI v2 support has been added since the last release (v0.22.2 notes indicate it was not officially supported).
• Current compatibility with Python 2.x versions listed in classifiers, given the package's age and Python 2 end-of-life.

Package facts

Evidence: awscli_local-0.22.2-py3-none-any.whl

Tags

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