Packer is a lightweight open source tool for creating machine images for multiple platforms like AWS, Azure, GCP etc. It runs on every major operating system and is highly performant.

• Build a HCL file with required details to create an AMI via packer

• Create a bashscript to install required softwares

• Now execute the above files to generate an AMI

• Install Packer

• AWS IAM user with Administrative access to EC2

• AMI id of an existing AMI in AWS

• Run the below commands inorder to install Packer

$ wget https://releases.hashicorp.com/packer/1.7.8/packer_1.7.8_linux_amd64.zip

$ unzip packer_1.7.8_linux_amd64.zip

$ mv packer /usr/bin/

• Verify the packer installation by running the below command.

$ packer

• Check the Packer version

$ packer version

• Set the envirnonment variables (access key and secret key) in the main build file.

• Execute the below commands :

$ packer init main.pkr.hcl

$ packer validate main.pkr.hcl

$ packer build main.pkr.hcl

An AMI is created in our AWS account

A custom AMI is created using packer tool and you can use this for creating EC2 instances.