aws-mcp-setup – Agents & Automation skill for AI agents

AWS MCP Server Configuration Guide

When to Use

Use this skill when you need configure AWS MCP servers for documentation search and API access. Use when setting up AWS MCP, configuring AWS documentation tools, troubleshooting MCP connectivity, or when user mentions aws-mcp, awsdocs, uvx setup, or MCP server configuration. Covers both Full AWS MCP Server (with...

Overview

This guide helps you configure AWS MCP tools for AI agents. Two options are available:

| Option | Requirements | Capabilities |

|--------|--------------|--------------|

| Full AWS MCP Server | Python 3.10+, uvx, AWS credentials | Execute AWS API calls + documentation search |

| AWS Documentation MCP | None | Documentation search only |

Step 1: Check Existing Configuration

Before configuring, check if AWS MCP tools are already available using either method:

Method A: Check Available Tools (Recommended)

Look for these tool name patterns in your agent's available tools:

• mcp__aws-mcp__* or mcp__aws__* → Full AWS MCP Server configured
• mcp__*awsdocs*__aws___* → AWS Documentation MCP configured

How to check: Run /mcp command to list all active MCP servers.

Method B: Check Configuration Files

The table is a Claude-oriented example; actual file locations and precedence depend on the client and managed policy. Inspect supported configuration rather than assuming this order:

| Scope | File Location | Use Case |

|-------|---------------|----------|

| Local | .claude.json (in project) | Personal/experimental |

| Project | .mcp.json (project root) | Team-shared |

| User | ~/.claude.json | Cross-project personal |

| Enterprise | System managed directories | Organization-wide |

Check these files for mcpServers containing aws-mcp, aws, or awsdocs keys:

# Check project config
cat .mcp.json 2>/dev/null | grep -E '"(aws-mcp|aws|awsdocs)"'

# Check user config
cat ~/.claude.json 2>/dev/null | grep -E '"(aws-mcp|aws|awsdocs)"'

# Or use Claude CLI
claude mcp list

If AWS MCP is already configured, no further setup needed.

Inspect configuration structurally and redact env/header values; do not print credential-bearing lines from minified config. Preserve existing server entries and validate the exact account/region/client config before editing. Prefer documentation-only access for documentation requests, otherwise read-only scoped IAM/tool mode; write-capable actions require separate authorized scope. Use the current downstream-service IAM model; do not copy retired preview MCP actions. Pin/review the proxy and dependencies before execution.

Step 2: Choose Configuration Method

Automatic Detection

Run these commands to determine which option to use:

# Check for uvx (requires Python 3.10+)
which uvx || echo "uvx not available"

# Check for valid AWS credentials
aws sts get-caller-identity || echo "AWS credentials not configured"

Option A: Full AWS MCP Server (only when API access is needed)

Use when: uvx available AND AWS credentials valid

Prerequisites:

• Python 3.10+ with uv package manager
• AWS credentials configured (via profile, environment variables, or IAM role)

IAM permissions: Current AWS MCP forwards the caller's credentials to downstream AWS services. Grant only the actual service actions/resources required by the task. Preview-era aws-mcp:InvokeMcp/CallReadOnlyTool/CallReadWriteTool actions no longer grant or deny access. Use current [AWS IAM guidance](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/agent-toolkit/latest/userguide/security_iam_service-with-iam.html) and MCP condition keys where needed; do not treat a client read-only flag as an IAM boundary.

Configuration (add to your MCP settings):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aws-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-proxy-for-aws@<reviewed-version>",
        "https://aws-mcp.us-east-1.api.aws/mcp",
        "--metadata", "AWS_REGION=us-west-2"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Credential Configuration Options:

1. AWS Profile (recommended for development):

   "args": [
     "mcp-proxy-for-aws@<reviewed-version>",
     "https://aws-mcp.us-east-1.api.aws/mcp",
     "--profile", "my-profile",
     "--metadata", "AWS_REGION=us-west-2"
   ]
   

2. Environment Variables:

   "env": {
     "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "...",
     "AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY": "...",
     "AWS_REGION": "us-west-2"
   }
   

3. IAM Role (for EC2/ECS/Lambda): No additional config needed - uses instance credentials

Additional Options:

• --region <region>: Override AWS region
• --read-only: Restrict to read-only tools
• --log-level <level>: Set logging level (debug, info, warning, error)

Reference: https://github.com/aws/mcp-proxy-for-aws

Option B: AWS Documentation MCP Server (No Auth)

Use when:

• No Python/uvx environment
• No AWS credentials
• Only need documentation search (no API execution)

Configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "awsdocs": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://knowledge-mcp.global.api.aws"
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Verification

After configuration, verify tools are available:

For Full AWS MCP:

• Look for tools: mcp__aws-mcp__aws___search_documentation, mcp__aws-mcp__aws___call_aws

For Documentation MCP:

• Look for tools: mcp__awsdocs__aws___search_documentation, mcp__awsdocs__aws___read_documentation

Troubleshooting

| Issue | Cause | Solution |

|-------|-------|----------|

| uvx: command not found | uv not installed | Install with pip install uv or use Option B |

| AccessDenied error | Missing IAM permissions | Identify the exact denied action/resource and add only reviewed least-privilege permissions; never fix with aws-mcp:* |

| InvalidSignatureException | Credential issue | Check aws sts get-caller-identity |

| Tools not appearing | MCP not started | Restart your agent after config change |

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches its upstream source and local project context.
• Verify commands, generated code, dependencies, credentials, and external service behavior before applying changes.
• Do not treat examples as a substitute for environment-specific tests, security review, or user approval for destructive or costly actions.