Aliyun CLI Expert

Guide users to manage Alibaba Cloud resources effectively using the aliyun command-line tool.

Required permissions : see ./references/ram-policies.md (## required_permissions). Extend on demand for other CLI commands.

Instructions

Agent execution: AI-mode and User-Agent (this skill)

Skill identifier (same string whichever path you use): AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cli-guidance

Use exactly one way to attach this skill to requests. Do not combine AI-mode (configure ai-mode + set-user-agent) with ALIBABA_CLOUD_USER_AGENT or a per-command env prefix for the same skill token — the CLI stacks those sources, and User-Agent / attribution will duplicate (bad for telemetry).

Path A — start (before the first aliyun that hits the API; local aliyun configure without cloud calls may run first if needed):

aliyun configure ai-mode enable
aliyun configure ai-mode set-user-agent --user-agent "AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cli-guidance"

Path A — [MUST] disable at every exit (AI-mode must not remain on after the skill stops):

aliyun configure ai-mode disable

Path B — examples (one carrier per workflow: export, inline env, or root --user-agent; never stack the same token or mix with path A):

export ALIBABA_CLOUD_USER_AGENT=AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cli-guidance
# … aliyun … calls … then: unset ALIBABA_CLOUD_USER_AGENT

ALIBABA_CLOUD_USER_AGENT=AlibabaCloud-Agent-Skills/alibabacloud-cli-guidance aliyun ecs DescribeRegions

Root --user-agent is path B semantics too — do not combine with path A for the same token. Non-agent copy-paste: path B is often enough; agent sessions: path A + disable on exit. Examples below use path A or B only, never both.

Pre-check: Aliyun CLI >= 3.3.3 required — Run aliyun version. If too low: curl -fsSL https://aliyuncli.alicdn.com/setup.sh | bash or see references/installation-guide.md.

Pre-check: Aliyun CLI plugin update required — [MUST] aliyun configure set --auto-plugin-install true; [MUST] aliyun plugin update.

CLI version milestones (agents and users)

1. Install and configure the CLI

If the user hasn't installed or configured the CLI, guide them through setup. See ./references/installation-guide.md for full details. Quick path:

# Install or update (macOS / Linux — one command)
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL --connect-timeout 10 --max-time 120 https://aliyuncli.alicdn.com/setup.sh)"

After the CLI is at 3.3.5 or newer, routine self-updates can use aliyun upgrade instead of the curl installer (the installer remains appropriate for first-time install or when upgrade is not available):

aliyun version   # confirm >= 3.3.5 before relying on upgrade
aliyun upgrade

OAuth (browser login)

When a browser can be opened on the same machine (for example a local desktop with a GUI), prefer OAuth over storing AccessKey pairs: credentials are not kept as plaintext AK/SecretKey in configuration, and sign-in can use SSO. Requires Alibaba Cloud CLI 3.0.299 or later. Not suitable for headless environments (for example SSH-only servers without a local browser).

Run interactively:

aliyun configure --profile \x3Cyour-profile-name> --mode OAuth

Full setup (administrator consent, RAM identity assignments, CN vs INTL site) is documented in Configure OAuth authentication for Alibaba Cloud CLI and ./references/installation-guide.md.

# Credentials via environment variables (automation, CI/CD, headless, or when OAuth is not available)
export ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_ID=\x3Ckey-id>
export ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_SECRET=\x3Ckey-secret>
export ALIBABA_CLOUD_REGION_ID=cn-hangzhou
# Temporary credentials (StsToken) — add:
# export ALIBABA_CLOUD_SECURITY_TOKEN=\x3Csts-token>

# API calls + this skill: use path A (ai-mode) OR path B (ALIBABA_CLOUD_USER_AGENT) — not both — see "Agent execution: AI-mode and User-Agent (this skill)"

# Verify
aliyun version      # Should be >= 3.3.3
aliyun ecs describe-regions   # Tests authentication

Aliyun CLI 3.3.3+ supports all published Alibaba Cloud product plugins. Newer commands (aliyun upgrade from 3.3.5, aliyun plugin show from 3.3.8) are summarized under CLI version milestones near the top of these instructions.

Authentication modes (environment variables)

For modes that use explicit keys or tokens (not OAuth), choose what fits the deployment context. When set, these environment variables override any values in ~/.aliyun/config.json.

Multiple accounts or environments

Use separate export blocks per shell session, CI job, or secret store (different ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_ID / ALIBABA_CLOUD_ACCESS_KEY_SECRET / ALIBABA_CLOUD_REGION_ID values). For profile-based workflows backed by the config file, see ./references/installation-guide.md.

2. Consult --help before constructing any command

Built-in commands have inconsistent parameter naming across APIs — some use PascalCase, others camelCase, and the exact names are not predictable. Guessing parameter names frequently leads to errors that require multiple retries. Running --help first takes seconds:

aliyun \x3Cproduct> --help                # Discover available subcommands
aliyun \x3Cproduct> \x3Csubcommand> --help   # Get exact parameter names, types, structure

Help output is the authoritative source. Plugin help is especially rich — it includes type info, structure fields, format hints, and constraints for every parameter.

When a plugin is installed, aliyun \x3Cproduct> --help automatically shows plugin help. To view the legacy built-in (OpenAPI-style) help instead:

ALIBABA_CLOUD_ORIGINAL_PRODUCT_HELP=true aliyun ecs --help

3. Ensure service plugins are available

Each Alibaba Cloud product has a CLI plugin. Plugins provide consistent kebab-case commands with comprehensive help, while the legacy built-in system has inconsistent naming and minimal help. If you know which product to use, install the plugin directly — plugin install is idempotent (safe to run even if already installed):

aliyun plugin install --names ecs     # Install (short name, case-insensitive)
aliyun plugin install --names ECS VPC RDS   # Multiple at once

To discover or verify plugins:

aliyun plugin list                    # Installed plugins
aliyun plugin list-remote             # All available plugins
aliyun plugin search \x3Ckeyword>        # Search by keyword
aliyun plugin show --name ecs         # Aliyun CLI >= 3.3.8 — details for one installed plugin

plugin show requires Aliyun CLI >= 3.3.8 and only works for installed plugins (use plugin list-remote / plugin search to inspect the catalog). On older versions, omit plugin show and rely on plugin list plus aliyun \x3Cproduct> --help.

Plugin names accept both short form (ecs) and full form (aliyun-cli-ecs), case-insensitive.

Plugin lifecycle:

aliyun plugin update --name ecs              # Update a plugin
aliyun plugin uninstall --name ecs           # Remove a plugin

4. Prefer plugin commands over built-in commands

The CLI has two command styles, and the subcommand casing determines which system handles it:

• All-lowercase subcommand → routed to plugin (CLI Native style)
• Contains uppercase → routed to built-in (OpenAPI style)

Plugin commands use consistent kebab-case naming for both subcommands and parameters, making them predictable. Built-in commands use PascalCase subcommands with mixed/inconsistent parameter naming that varies by API — you must check --help for every command to know the exact names.

# Plugin (preferred): consistent kebab-case
aliyun ecs describe-instances --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou

# Built-in (fallback): PascalCase subcommand, inconsistent params
aliyun ecs DescribeInstances --RegionId cn-hangzhou

Mixing styles causes silent failures — the CLI routes to different backends based on subcommand casing. A kebab-case subcommand with PascalCase parameters will be sent to the plugin system, which doesn't recognize PascalCase parameter names.

Product code is always case-insensitive (ecs, Ecs, ECS all work).

5. Understand global vs business parameter naming

The CLI plugin system reserves certain global parameters for its own use:

• --region-id / --region — controls which API endpoint the request is sent to (e.g. ecs.cn-hangzhou.aliyuncs.com). This is a routing concern, not a business field.
• Other globals include --profile, --api-version, --output, etc.

Many APIs also define their own RegionId or Region parameter in the API spec — these are business parameters with API-specific meaning (e.g. "the region to create this resource in"). The global --region-id and the API's RegionId serve different purposes, but they would collide on the command line.

The plugin system resolves this automatically during code generation:

1. --biz- prefix (default): the API parameter RegionId becomes --biz-region-id
2. --\x3Cproduct>- prefix (fallback): if --biz-region-id is already taken by another parameter, the plugin falls back to --\x3Cproduct>-region-id (e.g. --ecs-region-id)

This means in plugin commands, --region-id is always the global endpoint selector, and the business region is --biz-region-id (or --\x3Cproduct>-region-id). Using --region-id where you meant the business parameter silently changes the endpoint without setting the intended field.

Always check --help to see the actual parameter name — it is the authoritative source for whether a given command uses --biz-region-id, --\x3Cproduct>-region-id, or something else.

6. Use structured parameter syntax

Plugins support structured input that the framework serializes automatically. This avoids the error-prone legacy --Tag.N.Key / --Param.N=value syntax.

Primitives and lists:

--instance-id i-abc123                                  # single value
--security-group-ids sg-001 sg-002 sg-003               # space-separated list
--instance-id i-abc --instance-id i-def                 # repeated param (also valid)

Key-value objects and repeatable structures:

--tag Key=env Value=prod --tag Key=app Value=web        # repeatable key-value
--capacity-options OnDemandBaseCapacity=12 CompensateWithOnDemand=true  # object
--data-disk '{"DiskName":"d1","Size":100}'              # complex structure (JSON)

Check --help for each command — it shows the exact type, structure fields, and whether a parameter is repeatable.

7. OSS uses custom commands

Unlike other products, OSS has a hand-written implementation with custom command syntax. API-style commands like PutBucket or GetObject do not exist for OSS — using them will fail silently or produce confusing errors. Always check help first:

aliyun oss --help        # Basic operations (cp, ls, mb, rm, etc.)
aliyun ossutil --help    # Advanced utilities (sync, stat, etc.)

The lines below are syntax examples only (\x3Cyour-*> placeholders). Do not run them verbatim — substitute real paths, bucket names, and file names before executing.

aliyun oss cp \x3Cyour-file-name>.txt oss://\x3Cyour-bucket-name>/      # Upload
aliyun oss mb oss://\x3Cyour-bucket-name>              # Create bucket
aliyun ossutil sync ./\x3Cyour-folder-name>/ oss://\x3Cyour-bucket-name>/ # Sync directory

8. Filter and format output

Use --cli-query (JMESPath) to extract specific fields from API responses, and --output to control the format. This avoids piping large JSON blobs through external tools:

# JMESPath filter: only running instances, selected fields
aliyun ecs describe-instances \
  --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou \
  --cli-query "Instances.Instance[?Status=='Running'].{ID:InstanceId,Name:InstanceName}"

# Output formats
aliyun ecs describe-instances --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou --output json              # default
aliyun ecs describe-instances --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou --output table             # human-readable table
aliyun ecs describe-instances --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou --output cols=InstanceId,InstanceName,Status rows="Instances.Instance[]"  # custom columns

9. Pagination

Many list commands return paginated results. Use --page-number and --page-size to control:

aliyun ecs describe-instances \
  --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou \
  --page-number 1 \
  --page-size 50

To fetch all pages automatically without manual loops, use --pager:

aliyun ecs describe-instances \
  --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou \
  --pager path='Instances.Instance[]' PageNumber=PageNumber PageSize=PageSize

The path argument specifies which JSON field contains the page data to merge.

10. Wait for resource state

Some commands support built-in waiters for automation — poll until a resource reaches the desired state:

aliyun vpc describe-vpc-attribute \
  --biz-region-id cn-shanghai \
  --vpc-id \x3Cyour-vpc-id> \
  --waiter expr='Status' to='Available'

11. Debugging

When troubleshooting command failures, these flags reveal what's happening under the hood — the full HTTP request/response and parameter validation details:

• --log-level debug — detailed request/response logs (shows endpoint, serialized params, response)
• --cli-dry-run — validate command without executing (checks parameter parsing)
• ALIBABA_CLOUD_CLI_LOG_CONFIG=debug — environment variable to set log level globally

For 403, Forbidden, NoPermission, or other RAM-style denials, the identity behind the credentials lacks permission for the underlying API action. See ./references/ram-policies.md for the skill’s required_permissions table, on-demand authorization, and how to narrow permissions.

12. Multi-version API support

Some products (e.g. ESS, SLB) ship multiple API versions with different command sets and capabilities. Using the wrong version may cause missing parameters, deprecated behavior, or entirely different command availability. Not all products have multiple versions — if list-api-versions returns an error, the product is single-version and no action is needed.

Discover versions

aliyun \x3Cproduct> list-api-versions

Example (ESS; * = default):

* 2014-08-28 (default)
  2022-02-22

Each version may expose different commands or parameter names.

Specify version per command

aliyun ess describe-scaling-groups --api-version 2022-02-22 --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou

Set a default version via environment variable

To avoid passing --api-version on every call, set the default for a product:

export ALIBABA_CLOUD_ESS_API_VERSION=2022-02-22
export ALIBABA_CLOUD_SLB_API_VERSION=2014-05-15

The pattern is ALIBABA_CLOUD_\x3CPRODUCT_CODE>_API_VERSION (product code in uppercase). This is especially useful in scripts or CI/CD where you want consistent version behavior across multiple commands.

View commands for a specific version

Different API versions may have different command sets. To see what's available:

aliyun ess --api-version 2022-02-22    # List commands in this version
aliyun ess \x3Ccmd> --api-version 2022-02-22 --help   # Help for a specific command in this version

When to specify version

• Default — enough unless you need newer features.
• --help — missing parameter may exist only in another API version.
• Scripts / CI — pin ALIBABA_CLOUD_\x3CPRODUCT>_API_VERSION for reproducibility.

Global Flags Reference

These flags are available on all plugin commands:

Common Workflows

ECS Instances

aliyun plugin list | grep ecs
# If missing: aliyun plugin install --names ecs

aliyun ecs describe-instances --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou

The create-instance example below provisions billable resources (fixed image ID, instance type, and disk as illustration). Do not run it verbatim — adjust region, image, type, disks, network, and tags for your account and policies before executing.

aliyun ecs create-instance \
  --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou \
  --instance-type ecs.g7.large \
  --image-id ubuntu_20_04_arm64_20G_alibase_20250625.vhd \
  --data-disk Category=cloud_essd Size=100 \
  --tag Key=env Value=prod --tag Key=app Value=web

Function Compute (ROA Body Expansion)

aliyun plugin list | grep fc
# If missing: aliyun plugin install --names fc

The block below is a syntax example (\x3Cyour-function-name> and other values are illustrative). Do not run verbatim — set the real function name, runtime, handler, memory, timeout, and add any required VPC or service role settings for your environment. Plugin commands expand ROA body fields into individual params (no --body JSON needed).

aliyun fc create-function \
  --function-name \x3Cyour-function-name> \
  --runtime python3.9 \
  --handler index.handler \
  --memory-size 512 \
  --timeout 60 \
  --description "Process uploaded images"

Multi-Version API (ESS)

# Check available versions
aliyun ess list-api-versions

# Use the latest version for new features
export ALIBABA_CLOUD_ESS_API_VERSION=2022-02-22
aliyun ess describe-scaling-groups --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou

# Or specify per command without env var
aliyun ess describe-scaling-groups --api-version 2022-02-22 --biz-region-id cn-hangzhou

Response Format

When providing CLI commands:

1. Explain what the command does and why specific parameters are used
2. Show the complete command with all required parameters
3. Call out non-obvious values — especially --biz- prefixed parameters and their reason
4. Suggest --log-level debug when the user is troubleshooting
5. For API attribution, use either AI-mode + set-user-agent or env/inline ALIBABA_CLOUD_USER_AGENT, never both for the same skill token; agents should disable AI-mode on every exit or unset after export (see Agent execution: AI-mode and User-Agent (this skill))

References

• ./references/installation-guide.md — Installation, configuration modes, credential setup
• ./references/command-syntax.md — Complete command syntax guide
• ./references/global-flags.md — Global flags reference
• ./references/ram-policies.md — On-demand RAM, least privilege, common permission errors