View a markdown version of this page

What is the Agent Toolkit for AWS? - Agent Toolkit for AWS
ComponentsWhat can I do with the Agent Toolkit for AWS?How the Agent Toolkit for AWS worksPricing

What is the Agent Toolkit for AWS?

The Agent Toolkit for AWS gives AI coding agents the tools, knowledge, and guardrails they need to build, deploy, and manage applications on AWS. It works with the coding agents that developers already use, such as Kiro, Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex. You don't need to switch tools or learn a new workflow.

AI coding agents can handle common AWS tasks like creating an Amazon S3 bucket or launching an Amazon EC2 instance. However, they often struggle with complex, multi-step workflows. They choose the wrong service for a use case, misconfigure resources, or repeatedly retry operations on newer services they were not trained on. The Agent Toolkit for AWS addresses these gaps. It gives agents secure access to AWS services, current documentation, and step-by-step guidance.

Components

The Agent Toolkit for AWS includes four components that work together:

  • AWS MCP Server – A managed server that gives agents access to AWS through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Kiro, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and other MCP-compatible agents connect to this server. Agents can search AWS documentation and get service information without authentication. To run API calls, execute Python scripts, or follow curated skills, agents authenticate with your existing AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) credentials. A single endpoint provides all these capabilities, with CloudWatch metrics and IAM-based access controls.

  • Agent skills – Curated packages of instructions, code scripts, and reference materials that help agents complete specific AWS tasks. Agents load skills on demand. They discover and retrieve only the skills relevant to the current task, so they do not consume unnecessary context. Skills cover service selection, step-by-step procedures, troubleshooting, and SDK best practices.

  • Plugins – Single-install packages for Claude Code and Codex that bundle the AWS MCP Server configuration and a curated set of agent skills. After you install a plugin, your agent is ready to work with AWS. Kiro connects to the AWS MCP Server directly and does not require a plugin.

  • Rules files – Project-level configuration files that set guardrails and preferences for how agents work in your project. Rules files tell agents how to use AWS most effectively and securely. For example, they direct agents to use the AWS MCP Server, discover available skills, or search documentation before acting.

What can I do with the Agent Toolkit for AWS?

With the Agent Toolkit for AWS, your AI coding agent can:

  • Build and deploy applications on AWS – Your agent creates AWS infrastructure, writes application code, and deploys to production. Skills guide your agent through choosing the right services, configuring them correctly, and following deployment best practices.

  • Stay up to date on the latest AWS services – The AI models that power coding agents are trained on data that can be months or years old. Newer AWS services and recently launched features are often missing from an agent's knowledge. The Agent Toolkit for AWS gives your agent real-time access to current AWS documentation, API references, and service capabilities.

  • Follow tested procedures for complex workflows – Instead of improvising from general knowledge, your agent follows tested procedures. These include configuring least-privilege IAM policies, setting up data pipelines, and deploying production-ready serverless applications.

  • Troubleshoot operational issues – Point your agent at a failing deployment, a spike in error rates, or an unexpected cost increase. Skills help your agent work with CloudWatch logs and metrics, CloudFormation stack status, and troubleshooting procedures.

  • Operate with security and visibility – The AWS MCP Server provides CloudWatch metrics for monitoring agent activity and IAM-based access controls. You can also set enterprise guardrails, such as restricting agents to read-only operations or blocking specific actions.

  • Work with any MCP-compatible agent – The Agent Toolkit for AWS works with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Kiro, Windsurf, Cline, and any other agent that supports the Model Context Protocol.

How the Agent Toolkit for AWS works

The Agent Toolkit for AWS helps your AI coding agent build on AWS in three ways:

  • Skills provide structured guidance – Your agent uses skills installed locally through a plugin or discovers them at runtime through the AWS MCP Server. Skills contain step-by-step instructions, decision guides, and reference materials. These guide your agent through complex procedures while following AWS best practices.

  • Knowledge tools provide current information – When your agent needs up-to-date information, it can search AWS documentation and retrieve API references. It can also check regional availability and access the latest AWS service information.

  • API tools execute authenticated actions – The AWS MCP Server translates requests into properly formatted AWS API calls, handles authentication with your IAM credentials, and returns detailed feedback about results and errors. For complex multi-step operations, your agent can write and run Python scripts in an isolated sandbox using the run_script tool.

The AWS MCP Server automatically adds two global condition context keys (aws:ViaAWSMCPService and aws:CalledViaAWSMCP) to all requests. These keys let you differentiate MCP-initiated actions from direct API calls in your IAM policies. CloudTrail logs all API calls for audit visibility.

Authentication and authorization use your existing AWS IAM roles and policies, so you maintain full control over what your agent can access and do. You can authenticate using SigV4 credentials through the MCP Proxy for AWS, or use OAuth 2.1 through AWS Sign-in for a direct connection without local proxy software. See OAuth 2.1 authentication for AWS MCP Server for OAuth setup.

Note

We recommend scoping down IAM roles to the minimum permissions that your agent needs to perform its task.

Pricing

You can use the Agent Toolkit for AWS at no additional charge. You pay only for the AWS resources your agent provisions or interacts with, at standard AWS pricing. For more information about AWS pricing, see AWS Pricing. If you are new to AWS, you can get started with many services for free. For more information, see AWS Free Tier.