Describe Instances
ec2.describe_instances
ActionAmazon Web Servicesconnection required
Calls the AWS ec2 API (SigV4).
List EC2 instances and their state.
Connection
- Required
- Yes — the node will not save without one
- Auth type
- API key
- Providers
- Amazon EC2
- Secret shape
- {"access_key_id", "secret_access_key"}
- Config it needs
- region
- Resolved by
- config.connection_id, else node.connection_id
Configuration
4 fields, none required. A dotted path is a nested object and name[] an array of objects — the editor renders the same tree.
| Field | Type | Required | Default | Constraints | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
region AWS region (overrides the connection). | string | No | — | — | — |
instance_ids Specific instance ids (optional). | array | No | — | array of string | — |
max_results Max instances when not naming ids. | number | No | — | ≥ 1 | — |
next_token Continue from a previous run of this node by passing that run's 'next_token' output; leave blank for the first page. | string | No | — | — | — |
Output
One shape.
result
| Field | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
instances One entry per instance, flattened across reservations. Each carries its 'tags' as a key/value object (so '{{ ... .tags.Name }}' works), its 'image_id', 'availability_zone', 'vpc_id' and 'subnet_id', and the 'reservation_id', 'owner_id' and 'requester_id' of the reservation it was launched in. | array | — |
count | number | — |
next_token Cursor for the next page; empty when there are no further pages. | string | — |
reservations The reservation grouping EC2 returns, which 'instances' flattens: each entry has 'reservation_id', 'owner_id', 'requester_id', its 'groups' and the 'instance_ids' it holds. | array | — |
{
"count": 0,
"instances": [],
"next_token": "",
"reservations": []
}Related Amazon EC2 nodes
See Describe Instances run in a workflow.
In a technical demo we add the Amazon EC2 connection, drop the node on the canvas and let Workflow Health pre-flight it before the first real run.