AWS SAM CLI - AWS Serverless Application Model
How AWS SAM CLI commands are documented

AWS SAM CLI

AWS Serverless Application Model Command Line Interface (AWS SAM CLI) is a command-line tool for local development and testing of serverless applications. The AWS SAM CLI allows you to build, transform, deploy, debug, package, initialize, and sync your serverless applications locally before deploying to the cloud.

AWS SAM CLI works with serverless applications that are defined using different frameworks and infrastructure as code (IaC) tools, with varying levels of support:

  • AWS SAM templates – Provides native support with the full feature set, including local testing, debugging, packaging, and deployment capabilities.

  • AWS CDK applications – Supports local testing of Lambda functions after you synthesize the AWS CDK application to AWS CloudFormation templates using the cdk synth command.

  • AWS CloudFormation templates – Offers direct compatibility because AWS SAM extends AWS CloudFormation, supporting serverless resources that are defined in standard AWS CloudFormation templates.

  • Terraform applications – Provides limited support for building and local testing of Lambda functions. Requires you to generate AWS SAM template artifacts that represent your Terraform-defined Lambda functions.

For the most comprehensive feature support and streamlined developer experience, we recommend using native AWS SAM templates.

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How AWS SAM CLI commands are documented

AWS SAM CLI commands are documented using the following format:

  • Prompt – The Linux prompt is documented by default and is displayed as ($ ). For commands that are Windows specific, (> ) is used as the prompt. Do not include the prompt when you type commands.

  • Directory – When commands must be executed from a specific directory, the directory name is shown before the prompt symbol.

  • User input – Command text that you enter at the command line is formatted as user input.

  • Replaceable text – Variable text, such as file names and parameters are formatted as replaceable text. In multiple-line commands or commands where specific keyboard input is required, keyboard input can also be shown as replaceable text. For example, ENTER.

  • Output – Output returned as a response to the command is formatted as computer output.

The following sam deploy command and output is an example:

$ sam deploy --guided --template template.yaml

Configuring SAM deploy
======================

    Looking for config file [samconfig.toml] :  Found
    Reading default arguments  :  Success

    Setting default arguments for 'sam deploy'
    =========================================
    Stack Name [sam-app]: ENTER
    AWS Region [us-west-2]: ENTER
    #Shows you resources changes to be deployed and require a 'Y' to initiate deploy
    Confirm changes before deploy [y/N]: ENTER
    #SAM needs permission to be able to create roles to connect to the resources in your template
    Allow SAM CLI IAM role creation [Y/n]: ENTER
    #Preserves the state of previously provisioned resources when an operation fails
    Disable rollback [y/N]: ENTER
    HelloWorldFunction may not have authorization defined, Is this okay? [y/N]: y
    Save arguments to configuration file [Y/n]: ENTER
    SAM configuration file [samconfig.toml]: ENTER
    SAM configuration environment [default]: ENTER

  1. sam deploy --guided --template template.yaml is the command you enter at the command line.

  2. sam deploy --guided --template should be provided as is.

  3. template.yaml can be replaced with your specific file name.

  4. The output starts at Configuring SAM deploy.

  5. In the output, ENTER and y indicate replaceable values that you provide.