Get started with Amazon Linux 2023

Launching Amazon Linux 2023 using the SSM parameter and AWS CLI

In the AWS CLI, you can use an AMI’s SSM parameter value to launch a new instance of Amazon Linux 2023 (AL2023). More
specifically, use one of the dynamic SSM parameter values from the following list, and add
/aws/service/ami-amazon-linux-latest/ before the SSM parameter value/. You use this to launch the
instance in the AWS CLI.

• al2023-ami-kernel-default-arm64 for arm64 architecture

• al2023-ami-minimal-kernel-default-arm64 for arm64 architecture (minimal AMI)

• al2023-ami-kernel-default-x86_64 for x86_64 architecture

• al2023-ami-minimal-kernel-default-x86_64 for x86_64 architecture (minimal AMI)

Note

Each of the italic items is an example parameter. Replace them with your own
information.

$ aws ec2 run-instances \
  --image-id \
    resolve:ssm:/aws/service/ami-amazon-linux-latest/al2023-ami-kernel-default-x86_64 \
  --instance-type m5.xlarge \
  --region us-east-1 \
  --key-name aws-key-us-east-1 \
  --security-group-ids sg-004a7650

The --image-id flag specifies the SSM parameter value.

The --instance-type flag specifies the type and size of the instance. This flag must be compatible
with the AMI type that you selected.

The --region flag specifies the AWS Region where you create your instance.

The --key-name flag specifies the AWS Region’s key that’s used to connect to the instance. If you
don’t provide a key that exists in the Region where you create the instance, you can’t connect to the instance using
SSH.

The --security-group-ids flag specifies the security group that determines the access permissions
for inbound and outbound network traffic.

Important

The AWS CLI requires that you specify an existing security group that allows access to the instance from your
remote machine over port TCP:22. Without a specified security group, your new instance are placed in
a default security group. In a default security group, your instance can only connect with the other instances
within your VPC.

For more information, see Launching, listing, and terminating Amazon EC2 instances in the AWS Command Line Interface User Guide.

Launching Amazon Linux 2023 (AL2023) using the Amazon EC2 console

Use the Amazon EC2 console to launch Amazon Linux 2023 (AL2023).

Note

For Arm-based instances, AL2023 only supports instance types that use Graviton2 or later
processors. AL2023 doesn’t support A1 instances.

To launch an AL2023 instance from the Amazon EC2 console, follow these instructions.

1. Open EC2 Dashboard, Images, AMIs.

2. Select Public images.

3. Search for al2023-ami.

   The list includes AL2023 AMIs. Make sure that amazon appears in the Owner
   alias column.

4. Select an image from the list.

5. Select Launch instance from image, and follow the instructions to complete the
   launch.

An AL2023 AMI name can be interpreted by using this format:

'al2023-[ami || minimal-ami]-2023.0.[release build date].[build number]-kernel-[version number]-[arm64 ||
x86_64]'

The following is an example of an AMI ID in this format.

'al2023-ami-2023.0.20230210.1-kernel-6.1-arm64'

For more information about launching Amazon EC2 instances, see Get started with Amazon EC2 Linux instances in the
Amazon EC2 User Guide for Linux Instances.

Launching the latest Amazon Linux 2023 AMI using AWS CloudFormation

To launch an Amazon Linux 2023 (AL2023) AMI using AWS CloudFormation, you can use either of the following templates.

Note

The x86_64 and Arm64 AMIs each require different instance types. For more
information, see Amazon EC2 Instance Types

JSON template:

{
  "Parameters": 
{
    "LatestAmiId": 
{
      "Type": "AWS::SSM::Parameter::Value<AWS::EC2::Image::Id>",
      "Default": "/aws/service/ami-amazon-linux-latest/al2023-ami-minimal-kernel-default-x86_64"
    }
  },
  "Resources": 
{
    "MyEC2Instance": 
{
      "Type": "AWS::EC2::Instance",
      "Properties": 
{
        "InstanceType": "t2.large",
        "ImageId": 
{
          "Ref": "LatestAmiId"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

YAML template:

Parameters:
  LatestAmiId:
    Type: 'AWS::SSM::Parameter::Value<AWS::EC2::Image::Id>'
    Default: '/aws/service/ami-amazon-linux-latest/al2023-ami-minimal-kernel-default-x86_64'

Resources:
  Instance:
    Type: 'AWS::EC2::Instance'
    Properties:
      InstanceType: 't2.large'
      ImageId: !Ref LatestAmiId

Make sure to replace the AMI parameter at the end of the “Default” section, if needed. The following parameter
values are available:

• al2023-ami-kernel-6.1-arm64 for arm64 architecture

• al2023-ami-minimal-kernel-6.1-arm64 for arm64 architecture (minimal AMI)

• al2023-ami-kernel-6.1-x86_64 for x86_64 architecture

• al2023-ami-minimal-kernel-6.1-x86_64 for x86_64 architecture (minimal AMI)

The following are dynamic kernel specifications. The default kernel version automatically changes with each
major kernel version update.

• al2023-ami-kernel-default-arm64 for arm64 architecture

• al2023-ami-minimal-kernel-default-arm64 for arm64 architecture (minimal AMI)

• al2023-ami-kernel-default-x86_64 for x86_64 architecture

• al2023-ami-minimal-kernel-default-x86_64 for x86_64 architecture (minimal AMI)

Launching Amazon Linux 2023 using a specific AMI ID

You can launch specific Amazon Linux 2023 (AL2023) AMI using the AMI ID. You can determine which AL2023 AMI ID is needed by
looking at the AMI list in the Amazon EC2 console. Or, you can do this using AWS Systems Manager. If you’re using Systems Manager, make sure to
select the AMI alias from those that are listed in the previous section. For more information, see Query for
the latest Amazon Linux AMI IDs using AWS Systems Manager Parameter Store.