aws ec2 terminate-instances --instance-ids
aws ec2 terminate-instances --instance-ids <id>
Risk: Can lose work
What it does
Deletes a server for good. Its root disk goes too, by default.
When to use it
When you are done. There is no undo. Check for extra disks left behind.
Example
$ aws ec2 terminate-instances --instance-ids i-1234567890abcdef0running → shutting-down → terminated.
$ aws ec2 describe-volumes --filters Name=status,Values=availableFind disks attached to nothing. They still bill.
Learn it in: EC2 basics · Official docs