Official agent skill

AWS Cost Optimize

by github in github/awesome-copilot

Analyze AWS resources used in the app (IaC files and/or resources in a target account/region) and optimize costs - creating GitHub issues for identified optimizations.

OfficialMITAuto-check passedDevOps & Cloud

Install AWS Cost Optimize

skills CLI
$ npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill aws-cost-optimize -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install github/awesome-copilot aws-cost-optimize --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/aws-cost-optimize .claude/skills/aws-cost-optimize && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
aws-cost-optimize
GitHub stars
40k
Token cost
~2k tokens
SKILL.md length
646 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
417
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Analyze AWS resources used in the app (IaC files and/or resources in a target account/region) and optimize costs - creating GitHub issues for identified optimizations.

  • Works in 7 steps: Get AWS Cost Optimization Best Practices → Discover AWS Infrastructure → Collect Usage Metrics & Validate Current… → …
  • Tasks that involve Infrastructure as code
  • SKILL.md covers Prerequisites, Workflow Steps, Error Handling and Success Criteria
  • Calls aws; reaches docs.aws.amazon.com

What it does

AWS Cost Optimize is an agent skill from github/awesome-copilot, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Analyze AWS resources used in the app (IaC files and/or resources in a target account/region) and optimize costs - creating GitHub issues for identified optimizations.

Its SKILL.md is about 2k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in DevOps & Cloud, covering Infrastructure as code. It works with Amazon Web Services and GitHub. The repository describes itself as: Community-contributed instructions, agents, skills, and configurations to help you make the most of GitHub Copilot. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Tasks that involve Infrastructure as code

Example prompts

  • “/aws-cost-optimize”

Workflow steps

7 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

  1. Get AWS Cost Optimization Best Practices
  2. Discover AWS Infrastructure
  3. Collect Usage Metrics & Validate Current Costs
  4. Generate Cost Optimization Recommendations
  5. User Confirmation
  6. Create Individual Optimization Issues
  7. Create EPIC Coordinating Issue

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 727ff2e. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

    • aws

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    Hosts in commands or code, which the agent is likely to contact:

    • docs.aws.amazon.com

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

AWS Cost Optimize loads about 2k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 46 tokens; SKILL.md has 646 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~46
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from github/awesome-copilot at commit 727ff2e, republished under its MIT licence (© github). 646 words, ~2,048 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/aws-cost-optimize/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
aws-cost-optimize
description
Analyze AWS resources used in the app (IaC files and/or resources in a target account/region) and optimize costs - creating GitHub issues for identified optimizations.

AWS Cost Optimize

This workflow analyzes Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) files and AWS resources to generate cost optimization recommendations. It creates individual GitHub issues for each optimization opportunity plus one EPIC issue to coordinate implementation, enabling efficient tracking and execution of cost savings initiatives.

Prerequisites

  • AWS CLI configured and authenticated (aws sts get-caller-identity succeeds)
  • GitHub MCP server configured and authenticated
  • Target GitHub repository identified
  • AWS resources deployed (IaC files optional but helpful)

Workflow Steps

Step 1: Get AWS Cost Optimization Best Practices

Action: Retrieve cost optimization best practices before analysis Tools: fetch to retrieve AWS documentation Process:

  1. Load Best Practices:
    • Fetch https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cost-management/latest/userguide/cost-optimization-best-practices.html
    • Fetch the AWS Well-Architected Cost Optimization pillar summary
    • Use these practices to inform subsequent analysis and recommendations
Step 2: Discover AWS Infrastructure

Action: Dynamically discover and analyze AWS resources and configurations Tools: AWS CLI + Local file system access Process:

  1. Account & Region Discovery:

    • Execute aws sts get-caller-identity to confirm account
    • Execute aws configure get region to determine default region
  2. Resource Discovery (per region):

    • EC2 instances: aws ec2 describe-instances --query 'Reservations[].Instances[].[InstanceId,InstanceType,State.Name,Tags]'
    • RDS instances: aws rds describe-db-instances --query 'DBInstances[].[DBInstanceIdentifier,DBInstanceClass,Engine,MultiAZ]'
    • Lambda functions: aws lambda list-functions --query 'Functions[].[FunctionName,Runtime,MemorySize,Architectures]'
    • ECS clusters/services: aws ecs list-clusters then aws ecs describe-services
    • S3 buckets: aws s3api list-buckets --query 'Buckets[].Name'
    • ElastiCache clusters: aws elasticache describe-cache-clusters
    • NAT Gateways: aws ec2 describe-nat-gateways
    • Load Balancers: aws elbv2 describe-load-balancers
  3. IaC Detection:

    • Scan for IaC files: **/*.tf, **/*.yaml (CloudFormation/SAM), **/*.json (CloudFormation), **/cdk.json, lib/**/*.ts (CDK)
    • Parse resource definitions to understand intended configurations
    • Do NOT use application code files — only IaC files as the source of truth
    • If no IaC files found: STOP and report to user
Step 3: Collect Usage Metrics & Validate Current Costs

Action: Gather utilization data and verify actual resource costs Tools: AWS CLI (CloudWatch, Cost Explorer) Process:

  1. CloudWatch Metrics (last 7 days):

    bash
    # EC2 CPU utilization
    aws cloudwatch get-metric-statistics \
      --namespace AWS/EC2 --metric-name CPUUtilization \
      --dimensions Name=InstanceId,Value=<id> \
      --start-time $(date -u -d '7 days ago' +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ) \
      --end-time $(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ) \
      --period 3600 --statistics Average
    
    # Lambda duration
    aws cloudwatch get-metric-statistics \
      --namespace AWS/Lambda --metric-name Duration \
      --dimensions Name=FunctionName,Value=<name> \
      --start-time $(date -u -d '7 days ago' +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ) \
      --end-time $(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ) \
      --period 86400 --statistics Average,Maximum
  2. AWS Cost Explorer:

    bash
    aws ce get-cost-and-usage \
      --time-period Start=$(date -u -d '30 days ago' +%Y-%m-%d),End=$(date -u +%Y-%m-%d) \
      --granularity MONTHLY --metrics BlendedCost \
      --group-by Type=DIMENSION,Key=SERVICE
  3. Calculate Baseline Metrics: CPU/Memory averages, Lambda invocation rates, data transfer patterns, and a realistic current monthly total.

Show full SKILL.md (350 more words)Show less
Step 4: Generate Cost Optimization Recommendations

Action: Analyze resources to identify optimization opportunities Process:

  1. Apply Optimization Patterns:

    Compute:

    • EC2: Right-size based on CPU/memory (<20% average → downsize), convert On-Demand to Savings Plans, migrate to Graviton/ARM (up to 40% cheaper)
    • Lambda: Reduce memory for idle functions, switch to arm64 (20% cheaper)
    • ECS/EKS: Use Fargate Spot for dev/batch workloads

    Database:

    • RDS: Right-size instance class, convert single-AZ for dev, use Aurora Serverless v2 for variable load
    • DynamoDB: Switch Provisioned → On-Demand for unpredictable traffic
    • ElastiCache: Right-size node type based on memory utilization

    Storage:

    • S3: Lifecycle policies (Standard → Standard-IA after 30d → Glacier after 90d), enable Intelligent-Tiering
    • EBS: Delete unattached volumes, convert gp2 → gp3 (same performance, 20% cheaper)

    Network:

    • Consolidate NAT Gateways for non-production environments
    • Use VPC endpoints for S3/DynamoDB to avoid NAT Gateway charges
  2. Calculate Priority Score:

    Priority Score = (Value Score × Monthly Savings) / (Risk Score × Implementation Days)
    High: Score > 20 | Medium: Score 5-20 | Low: Score < 5
Step 5: User Confirmation

Action: Present summary and get approval before creating GitHub issues

🎯 AWS Cost Optimization Summary

📊 Analysis Results:
• Total Resources Analyzed: X
• Current Monthly Cost: $X
• Potential Monthly Savings: $Y
• Optimization Opportunities: Z
• High Priority Items: N

🏆 Recommendations:
1. [Resource]: [Current] → [Target] = $X/month savings - [Risk] | [Effort]
...

💡 This will create Y individual GitHub issues + 1 EPIC issue.

❓ Proceed with creating GitHub issues? (y/n)

Wait for user confirmation before proceeding.

Step 6: Create Individual Optimization Issues

Action: Create separate GitHub issues for each optimization. Label with "cost-optimization" (green) and "aws" (orange).

Title: [COST-OPT] [Resource Type] - [Brief Description] - $X/month savings

Body:

markdown
## 💰 Cost Optimization: [Brief Title]

**Monthly Savings**: $X | **Risk Level**: [Low/Medium/High] | **Effort**: X days

### 📋 Description
[Clear explanation of the optimization and why it's needed]

### 🔧 Implementation

**IaC Files Detected**: [Yes/No]

```bash
# IaC modification (preferred) or AWS CLI fallback
```

### 📊 Evidence
- Current Configuration: [details]
- Usage Pattern: [evidence from CloudWatch]
- Cost Impact: $X/month → $Y/month

### ✅ Validation Steps
- [ ] Test in non-production environment
- [ ] Verify no performance degradation via CloudWatch
- [ ] Confirm cost reduction in AWS Cost Explorer

### ⚠️ Risks & Considerations
- [Risk and mitigation]

**Priority Score**: X | **Value**: X/10 | **Risk**: X/10
Step 7: Create EPIC Coordinating Issue

Action: Create master tracking issue. Label with "cost-optimization" (green), "aws" (orange), "epic" (purple).

Title: [EPIC] AWS Cost Optimization Initiative - $X/month potential savings

Body: Executive summary with account/region details, Mermaid architecture diagram of current resources, prioritized checklist linking all individual issues (High → Medium → Low), progress tracking, and success criteria (>80% of estimated savings realized, no performance degradation).

Error Handling

  • AWS Authentication Failure: Guide through aws configure
  • No Resources Found: Create informational issue about AWS resource deployment
  • Insufficient Permissions: List required IAM read-only permissions
  • GitHub Creation Failure: Output formatted recommendations to console
  • Cost Explorer Not Enabled: Guide user to enable in AWS Console

Success Criteria

  • ✅ All cost estimates verified against actual configurations and AWS pricing
  • ✅ Individual GitHub issues created for each optimization
  • ✅ EPIC issue provides comprehensive coordination and tracking
  • ✅ All recommendations include specific AWS CLI or IaC commands
  • ✅ User confirmation obtained before creating issues

© github, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in skills/aws-cost-optimize of github/awesome-copilot.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 727ff2e

Compare with similar skills

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Categories

Questions about AWS Cost Optimize

What does AWS Cost Optimize do?

Analyze AWS resources used in the app (IaC files and/or resources in a target account/region) and optimize costs - creating GitHub issues for identified optimizations. AWS Cost Optimize is an agent skill from github/awesome-copilot, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Analyze AWS resources used in the app (IaC files and/or resources in a target account/region) and optimize costs - creating GitHub issues for identified optimizations.

When should I use AWS Cost Optimize?

AWS Cost Optimize fits situations like: tasks that involve Infrastructure as code.

How do I install AWS Cost Optimize in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill aws-cost-optimize -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/aws-cost-optimize in github/awesome-copilot) into .claude/skills/aws-cost-optimize in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install AWS Cost Optimize in Codex?

Run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill aws-cost-optimize -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/aws-cost-optimize in github/awesome-copilot) into .agents/skills/aws-cost-optimize in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use AWS Cost Optimize in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill aws-cost-optimize -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/aws-cost-optimize, .gemini/skills/aws-cost-optimize, .github/skills/aws-cost-optimize and .opencode/skills/aws-cost-optimize in your project.

What does AWS Cost Optimize need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, AWS Cost Optimize needs the command-line tools its instructions call (aws).

Does AWS Cost Optimize access the network?

SKILL.md names 1 domain. In commands or code: docs.aws.amazon.com; the agent is likely to contact it when it follows the instructions. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is AWS Cost Optimize safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does AWS Cost Optimize use?

AWS Cost Optimize is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does AWS Cost Optimize use?

About 2k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 8.2k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to AWS Cost Optimize?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with AWS Cost Optimize: AWS GitHub Oidc Scoped Role (mizchi/skills, 356 stars), AWS Cdk Development (zxkane/aws-skills, 367 stars), Senior DevOps Toolkit (maslennikov-ig/claude-code-orchestrator-kit, 259 stars) and Terravision Cloud Diagrams (patrickchugh/terravision, 1.6k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains AWS Cost Optimize?

github (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in github/awesome-copilot, which has 39,748 GitHub stars. The repository holds 417 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 7, 2026.

Source: github/awesome-copilot on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.