Amazon Q Developer CLI ​

Amazon Q Developer CLI brings AWS-native AI assistance to your terminal. It provides context-aware shell completions, infrastructure generation, and debugging — right alongside your regular shell commands. MCP support lets you extend its reach beyond AWS, connecting tools for non-AWS databases, monitoring, or internal APIs.

AQ
Amazon Q Developer CLI
TRANSPORT
Streamable HTTP ✓
PLATFORM
Windows · macOS · Linux
MCP VIA
JSON Config

AWS Expertise Meets External Tools ​

Amazon Q Developer already understands AWS infrastructure — IAM policies, CloudFormation templates, Lambda functions, and more. MCP extends that knowledge by plugging in tools that cover everything AWS doesn't: your own database schemas, third-party monitoring, internal documentation, or deployment pipelines managed outside AWS.

This is particularly valuable in multi-cloud or hybrid setups. A single Q Developer session can generate an AWS Lambda function while also querying a non-AWS database schema via MCP to ensure type safety.

What stands out for MCP users:

  • Shell integration — tab completions that include MCP tool suggestions
  • AWS context — understands your AWS account structure, IAM roles, and services
  • Inline explanations — the agent explains shell output and MCP tool results
  • Security scanning — built-in code review for vulnerabilities
  • Free tier — available in the AWS Q free tier with daily request limits

Connecting to Vinkius Cloud ​

1. Create a Token ​

Head to Vinkius Cloud → select your server → Connection Tokens → Create. Copy the resulting URL.

2. Add MCP Configuration ​

Configure your Vinkius MCP server in Amazon Q Developer CLI settings:

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vinkius": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/{TOKEN}/mcp"
    }
  }
}

3. Start Using Tools ​

Open a Q Developer chat session. The agent now has access to both AWS-native tools and your Vinkius Cloud MCP tools in the same conversation.

FAQ ​

Can Amazon Q use MCP alongside AWS services? Yes. MCP tools appear alongside Q Developer's built-in AWS capabilities. The agent chooses the right tool based on your request.

Is Amazon Q Developer CLI free? There is a free tier with daily request limits. Pro plans are available through AWS Builder ID or AWS IAM Identity Center.

Does it work outside AWS environments? Absolutely. While Q Developer excels with AWS, its shell completions and MCP tools work on any project regardless of cloud provider.

How does MCP auth work with Q Developer? Vinkius Cloud handles auth via the Connection Token embedded in the URL. No additional AWS IAM configuration is needed for MCP.