---
description: |
    Packer is able to create Amazon AMIs. To achieve this, Packer comes with
    multiple builders depending on the strategy you want to use to build the AMI.
layout: docs
page_title: Amazon AMI Builder
...

# Amazon AMI Builder

Packer is able to create Amazon AMIs. To achieve this, Packer comes with
multiple builders depending on the strategy you want to use to build the AMI.
Packer supports the following builders at the moment:

- [amazon-ebs](/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html) - Create EBS-backed AMIs by
  launching a source AMI and re-packaging it into a new AMI after provisioning.
  If in doubt, use this builder, which is the easiest to get started with.

- [amazon-instance](/docs/builders/amazon-instance.html) - Create instance-store
  AMIs by launching and provisioning a source instance, then rebundling it and
  uploading it to S3.

- [amazon-chroot](/docs/builders/amazon-chroot.html) - Create EBS-backed AMIs
  from an existing EC2 instance by mounting the root device and using a
  [Chroot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroot) environment to provision
  that device. This is an **advanced builder and should not be used by
  newcomers**. However, it is also the fastest way to build an EBS-backed AMI
  since no new EC2 instance needs to be launched.

-> **Don't know which builder to use?** If in doubt, use the [amazon-ebs
builder](/docs/builders/amazon-ebs.html). It is much easier to use and Amazon
generally recommends EBS-backed images nowadays.

## Using an IAM Instance Profile

If AWS keys are not specified in the template, a
[credentials](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-chap-getting-started.html#cli-config-files)
file or through environment variables Packer will use credentials provided by
the instance's IAM profile, if it has one.

The following policy document provides the minimal set permissions necessary for
Packer to work:

``` {.javascript}
{
  "Statement": [{
      "Effect": "Allow",
      "Action" : [
        "ec2:AttachVolume",
        "ec2:CreateVolume",
        "ec2:DeleteVolume",
        "ec2:CreateKeypair",
        "ec2:DeleteKeypair",
        "ec2:CreateSecurityGroup",
        "ec2:DeleteSecurityGroup",
        "ec2:AuthorizeSecurityGroupIngress",
        "ec2:CreateImage",
        "ec2:RunInstances",
        "ec2:TerminateInstances",
        "ec2:StopInstances",
        "ec2:DescribeVolumes",
        "ec2:DetachVolume",
        "ec2:DescribeInstances",
        "ec2:CreateSnapshot",
        "ec2:DeleteSnapshot",
        "ec2:DescribeSnapshots",
        "ec2:DescribeImages",
        "ec2:RegisterImage",
        "ec2:CreateTags",
        "ec2:ModifyImageAttribute"
      ],
      "Resource" : "*"
  }]
}
```