# How to upload/download to S3 from a EC2 instance

# 1. Create a separate AWS user
I recommend creating a separated user for uploading to your S3 bucket.
1. Select the AWS Service `IAM` -> `Users` -> `Add user`
1. `User name`: s3_user
1. `Permission options`: Attach policies directly
1. Select `AmazonS3FullAccess`
1. Click `Next` -> `Create user`

# 2. Configure AWS user
We need to create an `access_key` and `secret_key` in order to use our `s3_user` within the `aws` command. 
1. Select your `s3_user` and go to `Security credentials`
1. Under **Access keys** click `Create access key`
1. Choose `Application running on an AWS compute service`
1. Click `Create access key`
1. Store the `Access key ` and `Secret access key`

# 3. Configure AWS CLI
```
aws configure --profile s3_user
```
```
AWS Access Key ID [None]: <your_access_key>
AWS Secret Access Key [None]: <your_secret_access_key>
Default region name [None]: eu-central-1
Default output format [None]: json
```

# 4. Upload file to S3
Now you can upload a file to your S3 bucket using your new profile
```bat
aws s3 cp /opt/test.txt s3://mybucketname/test.txt --profile s3_user
```

# 5. Download file from S3
```bat
aws s3 cp s3://mybucketname/test.txt /opt/test.txt --profile s3_user
```

# 6. Conclusion
In this article we have learned how to configure an `user` and the `aws cli` to conveniently **upload** and **download** files from `S3` to your `EC2 instance`.