Use CreateDocument with an AWS SDK or CLI

To create a document

The following create-document example creates a Systems Manager document.

aws ssm create-document \
    --content file://exampleDocument.yml \
    --name "Example" \
    --document-type "Automation" \
    --document-format YAML

Output:

{
    "DocumentDescription": {
        "Hash": "fc2410281f40779e694a8b95975d0f9f316da8a153daa94e3d9921102EXAMPLE",
        "HashType": "Sha256",
        "Name": "Example",
        "Owner": "29884EXAMPLE",
        "CreatedDate": 1583256349.452,
        "Status": "Creating",
        "DocumentVersion": "1",
        "Description": "Document Example",
        "Parameters": [
            {
                "Name": "AutomationAssumeRole",
                "Type": "String",
                "Description": "(Required) The ARN of the role that allows Automation to perform the actions on your behalf. If no role is specified, Systems Manager Automation uses your IAM permissions to execute this document.",
                "DefaultValue": ""
            },
            {
                "Name": "InstanceId",
                "Type": "String",
                "Description": "(Required) The ID of the Amazon EC2 instance.",
                "DefaultValue": ""
            }
        ],
        "PlatformTypes": [
            "Windows",
            "Linux"
        ],
        "DocumentType": "Automation",
        "SchemaVersion": "0.3",
        "LatestVersion": "1",
        "DefaultVersion": "1",
        "DocumentFormat": "YAML",
        "Tags": []
    }
}

For more information, see Creating Systems Manager Documents in the AWS Systems Manager User Guide.

    /**
     * Creates an AWS SSM document asynchronously.
     *
     * @param docName The name of the document to create.
     * <p>
     * This method initiates an asynchronous request to create an SSM document.
     * If the request is successful, it prints the document status.
     * If an exception occurs, it handles the error appropriately.
     */
    public void createSSMDoc(String docName) throws SsmException {
        String jsonData = """
        {
        "schemaVersion": "2.2",
        "description": "Run a simple shell command",
        "mainSteps": [
            {
                "action": "aws:runShellScript",
                "name": "runEchoCommand",
                "inputs": {
                  "runCommand": [
                    "echo 'Hello, world!'"
                  ]
                }
              }
            ]
        }
        """;

        CreateDocumentRequest request = CreateDocumentRequest.builder()
            .content(jsonData)
            .name(docName)
            .documentType(DocumentType.COMMAND)
            .build();

        CompletableFuture<CreateDocumentResponse> future = getAsyncClient().createDocument(request);
        future.thenAccept(response -> {
            System.out.println("The status of the SSM document is " + response.documentDescription().status());
        }).exceptionally(ex -> {
            Throwable cause = (ex instanceof CompletionException) ? ex.getCause() : ex;
            if (cause instanceof DocumentAlreadyExistsException) {
                throw new CompletionException(cause);
            } else if (cause instanceof SsmException) {
                throw new CompletionException(cause);
            } else {
                throw new RuntimeException(cause);
            }
        }).join();
    }

import { CreateDocumentCommand, SSMClient } from "@aws-sdk/client-ssm";
import { parseArgs } from "node:util";

/**
 * Create an SSM document.
 * @param {{ content: string, name: string, documentType?: DocumentType }}
 */
export const main = async ({ content, name, documentType }) => {
  const client = new SSMClient({});
  try {
    const { documentDescription } = await client.send(
      new CreateDocumentCommand({
        Content: content, // The content for the new SSM document. The content must not exceed 64KB.
        Name: name,
        DocumentType: documentType, // Document format type can be JSON, YAML, or TEXT. The default format is JSON.
      }),
    );
    console.log("Document created successfully.");
    return { DocumentDescription: documentDescription };
  } catch (caught) {
    if (caught instanceof Error && caught.name === "DocumentAlreadyExists") {
      console.warn(`${caught.message}. Did you provide a new document name?`);
    } else {
      throw caught;
    }
  }
};

Example 1: This example creates a document in your account. The document must be in JSON format. For more information about writing a configuration document, see Configuration Document in the SSM API Reference.

New-SSMDocument -Content (Get-Content -Raw "c:\temp\RunShellScript.json") -Name "RunShellScript" -DocumentType "Command"

Output:

CreatedDate     : 3/1/2017 1:21:33 AM
DefaultVersion  : 1
Description     : Run an updated script
DocumentType    : Command
DocumentVersion : 1
Hash            : 1d5ce820e999ff051eb4841ed887593daf77120fd76cae0d18a53cc42e4e22c1
HashType        : Sha256
LatestVersion   : 1
Name            : RunShellScript
Owner           : 809632081692
Parameters      : {commands}
PlatformTypes   : {Linux}
SchemaVersion   : 2.0
Sha1            :
Status          : Creating

class DocumentWrapper:
    """Encapsulates AWS Systems Manager Document actions."""

    def __init__(self, ssm_client):
        """
        :param ssm_client: A Boto3 Systems Manager client.
        """
        self.ssm_client = ssm_client
        self.name = None

    @classmethod
    def from_client(cls):
        ssm_client = boto3.client("ssm")
        return cls(ssm_client)


    def create(self, content, name):
        """
        Creates a document.

        :param content: The content of the document.
        :param name: The name of the document.
        """
        try:
            self.ssm_client.create_document(
                Name=name, Content=content, DocumentType="Command"
            )
            self.name = name
        except self.ssm_client.exceptions.DocumentAlreadyExists:
            print(f"Document {name} already exists.")
            self.name = name
        except ClientError as err:
            logger.error(
                "Couldn't create %s. Here's why: %s: %s",
                name,
                err.response["Error"]["Code"],
                err.response["Error"]["Message"],
            )
            raise