AMI (Amazon Machine Image)
AMI (Amazon Machine Image) is a template used to create EC2 instances.
Example
GitLab AMI include full GitLab stack (Rails app, PostgreSQL, Redis, etc.) pre-configured.
What AMI Contains
It contains all the information required to launch an instance:
- OS 🖥️
- App server 🛠️
- App 📦
- configurations and data 🧩
Types of AMIs
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| AWS-Provided AMIs | Standard Linux/Windows OS with base configuration |
| Marketplace AMIs | AMIs provided by third-party vendors |
| Community AMIs | Public AMIs shared by AWS users |
| Custom AMIs | Created by you, customized to fit your app needs |
Create an AMI
You can create an AMI from: 🖥️➕📸
- An existing EC2 instance
- A snapshot of a EBS volume - it will create snapshot :)
Note
After Creating AMI Can be shared with: Specific AWS acc or Public