How to Install AWS CLI, Homebrew, jq, and More on macOS

For developers and system administrators working with Amazon Web Services (AWS), having the right set of tools on your macOS can significantly enhance your productivity. Installing AWS CLI, Homebrew, jq, and other essential utilities will streamline your workflow and help you manage cloud resources more efficiently. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to install these tools on your macOS.

Step 1: Installing Homebrew on macOS

Homebrew is a popular package manager for macOS that simplifies the installation of software. To install Homebrew, open your Terminal and paste the following command:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Once the installation is complete, run brew help to verify that Homebrew has been successfully installed. For more details on Homebrew and its features, you can visit the official Homebrew website.

Step 2: Installing AWS CLI

With Homebrew installed, you can easily install the AWS CLI tool, which allows you to interact with AWS services from your command line. Use the following command in your Terminal:

brew install awscli

After installation, confirm the installation by running aws --version. This will display the installed version of the AWS CLI.

Step 3: Installing jq for JSON Processing

jq is a powerful command-line tool for parsing JSON data, which is commonly used when working with AWS APIs. To install jq using Homebrew, simply run:

brew install jq

You can verify the installation by typing jq --version in your Terminal.

Step 4: Installing Additional Tools (Python, pip, and More)

Python and pip are often prerequisites for various AWS tools and scripts. To install Python and pip, use the following Homebrew commands:

brew install python

This will install the latest version of Python along with pip, the package installer for Python. Verify the installation by running python3 --version and pip3 --version.

Step 5: Configuring AWS CLI

After installing AWS CLI, you'll need to configure it with your AWS credentials. Run the following command:

aws configure

You will be prompted to enter your AWS Access Key ID, Secret Access Key, region, and output format.

Step 6: Keeping Your Tools Updated

To ensure you’re using the latest features and security patches, regularly update your tools with Homebrew by running:

brew update && brew upgrade

This command updates Homebrew itself and then upgrades all installed packages.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you’ll have AWS CLI, Homebrew, jq, and other essential tools set up on your macOS. These installations will empower you to manage AWS resources more effectively and streamline your development workflows.