# `pcluster createami`
<a name="pcluster.createami"></a>

(Linux/macOS) Creates a custom AMI to use with AWS ParallelCluster.

```
pcluster createami [ -h ] -ai BASE_AMI_ID -os BASE_AMI_OS
                   [ -i INSTANCE_TYPE ] [ -ap CUSTOM_AMI_NAME_PREFIX ]
                   [ -cc CUSTOM_AMI_COOKBOOK ] [--no-public-ip]
                   [ -post-install POST_INSTALL_SCRIPT ]
                   [ -c CONFIG_FILE ] [-t CLUSTER_TEMPLATE]
                   [--vpc-id VPC_ID] [--subnet-id SUBNET_ID]
                   [ -r REGION ]
```

## Required dependencies
<a name="pcluster.createami.required-dependencies"></a>

In addition to the AWS ParallelCluster CLI, the following dependency is required to run `pcluster createami`:
+ **Packer**: Download the latest version from [https://developer.hashicorp.com/packer/downloads](https://developer.hashicorp.com/packer/downloads).

**Note**  
Before AWS ParallelCluster version 2.8.0, [Berkshelf](https://github.com/berkshelf/berkshelf) (installed using `gem install berkshelf`) was required to use `pcluster createami`.

## Named arguments
<a name="pcluster.createami.namedarg"></a>

**-h, --help**  
Shows the help text for `pcluster createami`.

**-ai *BASE\$1AMI\$1ID*, --ami-id *BASE\$1AMI\$1ID***  
Specifies the base AMI to use for building the AWS ParallelCluster AMI.

**-os *BASE\$1AMI\$1OS*, --os *BASE\$1AMI\$1OS***  
Specifies the OS of the base AMI. Valid options are: `alinux2`, `ubuntu1804`, `ubuntu2004`, and `centos7`.  
OS support changes in different AWS ParallelCluster versions:  
+ Support for `centos8` was removed in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.10.4.
+ Support for `centos8` was added, and support for `centos6` was removed in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.10.0.
+ Support for alinux2 was added in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.6.0.
+ Support for ubuntu1804 was added in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.5.0.

**-i *INSTANCE\$1TYPE*, --instance-type *INSTANCE\$1TYPE***  
Specifies the instance type to use to create the AMI.  
Defaults to `t2.xlarge`.  
Support for the `--instance-type` argument was added in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.4.1.

**-ap *CUSTOM\$1AMI\$1NAME\$1PREFIX*, --ami-name-prefix *CUSTOM\$1AMI\$1NAME\$1PREFIX***  
Specifies the prefix name of the resulting AWS ParallelCluster AMI.  
Defaults to `custom-ami-`.

**-cc *CUSTOM\$1AMI\$1COOKBOOK*, --custom-cookbook *CUSTOM\$1AMI\$1COOKBOOK***  
Specifies the cookbook to use to build the AWS ParallelCluster AMI.

**--post-install *POST\$1INSTALL\$1SCRIPT***  
Specifies the path to the post-install script. Paths must use a `s3://`, `https://`, or `file://` URL scheme. Examples include the following:  
+ `https://bucket-name.s3.region.amazonaws.com/path/post_install.sh`
+ `s3://bucket-name/post_install.sh`
+ `file:///opt/project/post_install.sh`
Support for the `--post-install` argument was added in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.10.0.

**--no-public-ip**  
Do not associate a public IP address to the instance used to create the AMI. By default, a public IP address is associated with the instance.  
Support for the `--no-public-ip` argument was added in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.5.0.

**-c *CONFIG\$1FILE*, --config *CONFIG\$1FILE***  
Specifies the alternative configuration file to use.  
Defaults to `~/.parallelcluster/config`.

**-t *CLUSTER\$1TEMPLATE*, --cluster-template *CLUSTER\$1TEMPLATE***  
Specifies the [[`cluster`] section](cluster-definition.md) of the *CONFIG\$1FILE* to use to retrieve the VPC and subnet settings.  
Support for the `--cluster-template` argument was added in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.4.0.

**--vpc-id *VPC\$1ID***  
Specifies the ID of the VPC to use to build the AWS ParallelCluster AMI.  
Support for the `--vpc-id` argument was added in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.5.0.

**--subnet-id *SUBNET\$1ID***  
Specifies the ID of the subnet to use to build the AWS ParallelCluster AMI.  
Support for the `--vpc-id` argument was added in AWS ParallelCluster version 2.5.0.

**-r *REGION*, --region** *REGION*  
Specifies the AWS Region to use. Defaults to the AWS Region specified by using the [`pcluster configure`](pcluster.configure.md) command.